There You'll Be
by Squealing Lit. Fan
Summary: Officially "restarted". Look for Gilded Lilies.
1. Take Your Sweet Time

Chapter One

There You'll Be

Chapter One – Take Your Sweet Time

A/n – _**READ ALL AUTHOR NOTES!!**_ They are pretty important and I don't put them in unless I think they're necessary. This will probably be the only long one so don't worry. :D Lol. I do have a tendency to ramble in them but I'll try to control myself. Anyways, welcome to the 4th story I have planned out. Lol. It's currently got the working title "There You'll Be". I usually don't post my stories because I really don't think they're any good but I've finally decided that I've wasted basically 3 years doing that so…they will be posted from now on, no matter how terrible I think they are. This story is based off another story I had that I just didn't know where to take it. I realized that if I could change some details, I could get it to fit in this category and I REALLY like where it's headed. And that in itself is amazing. Lol. But ya…I'm considering scrapping that story completely but I'm not entirely sure yet…it's different enough that I could post both if I can figure out where I want to take that other story. But ya, enough about that. This will be an Eragon/Arya pairing and it picks up after Eldest. That's about all you need to know. :D I'll probably be posting about once a week...possibly more if I'm writing a lot.

Let's see…I love reviews. They make me write quicker usually. I can not stand flames. I'm not forcing you to read this so don't ruin my day by saying you don't like it…I don't wanna know. I also apologize for any spelling errors. My spell check has been shot to Hell. I think I added too many new words because now it either doesn't catch errors or it thinks everything is wrong. So I'm sorry if there's anything like that…I try to catch 'em on my own but can't get everything. I also just skimmed the whole Eldest book and parts of the Eragon book again (I'm slowly reading it when I'm waiting before class) but I'm not gonna read it when I can be writing. I think I got the details right but if anything's wrong, just bear with me. I usually try to write ahead of my posting so I usually have a chapter already written and waiting and it's too hard to go back and correct things so just assume that's how it is. Chapters vary in length, ending whenever I find a decent spot to end. I try not to do extremely short chapters, if one is short then i'll keep writing til I find the next ending. I also don't like jumping around a lot so this will be a LONG story. Also, I am in college. There may be some times when I can't update on a regular basis but I'm going to try to keep updating regularly. I also try to keep ahead of myself. I made myself write 5 chapters before I posted this. Ok, I think that's it…review please. :D

Oh, and bear with me through this first chapter. Starting out stories is the hardest thing for me…too much background info to get in (sorry if it gets kind of boring)…and I've never written a fight scene before so…eegh. Lol. Oh, and to make things less confusing, anything in italics is a thought. When two characters are "talking" to each other with their minds, one will be put in quotations so they'll be easier to decipher. I'm not a big fan of the he said, she said form of writing and try not to use it too much. I mainly use that for certain effects, like tone of voice or pointing out who they are talking to. But if it doesn't work, let me know and I'll find another way to do this. I also tend to change p.o.v. a lot. I'll have lines to prepare you for p.o.v changes and time gaps. Ok. Now I'm done. Lol.

Disclaimer – I own nuttin but the plot. The characters aren't mine, the book isn't mine, the song isn't mine. The song is "Take Your Sweet Time" by Jesse McCartney. Later there will be some characters that are mine…aka the ones you don't recognize. Everything else is NOT mine. This will be the last disclaimer…I think it's pointless to have one in every chapter saying the same thing over and over.

* * *

It was a very warm morning in early spring. Eragon and Saphira sat a distance away from the crowd of villagers practicing their sparring. After the battle, the Varden had returned to Tronjheim. Many of the men had known Hrothgar for years and decided to follow the dwarves back to the mountains for his funeral. The men from Carvahall came along as well. The Varden wanted them trained as soon as possible and their most skilled soldiers had traveled to Tronjheim. The women and children had been escorted to Surda by King Orrin's men with the exception of Elain, who had refused to leave her family. Hrothgar's funeral was to be held the following morning and would be followed by a celebration to initiate Eragon into the Dûrgrimst Ingeitum, as Hrothgar had planned. Eragon and Roran would be leaving shortly afterwards. Nasuada had given him permission to go after Katrina and the Ra'zac.

Turning his attention back to the various sparring matches, Eragon sought out his cousin. Roran had picked it up quickly and, having become so strong in the past months, was difficult to defeat. He could see that Roran was becoming overconfident in his abilities. While he was a natural swordsman, he still lacked the training of the other men. When Roran quickly knocked down his latest opponent, Eragon considered going down and sparring with him. He knew Roran needed to be taught a lesson before he became arrogant. As he was about to stand up, he noticed the crowd parting around Roran. The men stood dumbfounded, gaping at the elf that walked through the crowd with obvious authority. She was dressed in her usual black leather with her customary headband holding back her hair. Eragon was slightly disappointed. He'd grown used to seeing her wearing the elven tunics with her hair flowing free. She had seemed more relaxed then but the tenseness was once again showing in every fiber of her being. He was surprised to see her. Immediately after the battle, Arya had been sent to the Beor Mountains to inform the dwarves about Hrothgar's death and upcoming funeral. He'd only been in Tronjheim for a few days but as far as he knew she wasn't expected to return until the next morning at least. But then again, Arya did work on her own time.

* * *

The tall elf woman walked to the center of the ring and drew her sword. Roran recognized her as Arya, the woman he had met in Nasuada's tent after the battle. She had barely said a word and, if not for Eragon's story, he probably wouldn't have remembered her. Roran stood, dumbfounded, staring at her. Was she actually challenging him? When she raised an eyebrow, as if to ask what was taking him so long, he realized that she fully intended to spar with him. He drew his sword, deciding that he'd be careful with her. He didn't want to injure the elves' ambassador. They circled for a moment and Roran noticed that her thoughts and emotions were hidden behind a blank mask. He wouldn't be able to read her and prepare himself for her move. When it became obvious that she was waiting for him to make the first move, he struck out at her left side. His eyes widened as her sword seemed to whip out of nowhere, blocking his with ease. His arm shook with the jolting vibrations as her sword clanged against his. He barely had time to block her as she lightly danced around him and struck out at his right side. Over the next several minutes, he quickly realized that he had underestimated her. She wouldn't have a problem defeating him but she kept dragging the match on. His strategy had quickly changed to one that focused solely on defending himself. Every time he tried to attack her, it only resulted in he himself being attacked. As the minutes dragged on, his arm grew weary and his movements slowed and yet still she forced him to defend himself with all his skill. Roran knew that her blade would bury itself in him if he ever failed to block her attack. She expected him to defend himself and didn't hold back, pushing him further than anyone he had sparred before. Finally her blade whipped up, resting under his chin. As he stood panting, he couldn't help but notice that her breathing wasn't affected in the slightest. She lowered her blade and then stepped back to observe him.

"You should never underestimate an opponent, even when they appear weaker. You are a naturally talented swordsman but there will always be someone better than you." He nodded, still breathing heavily. Her voice was soft but there was a sense of authority about it. She also spoke with a strange accent that he hadn't noticed last time. In his travels, he'd heard many different accents but none as different as hers. Arya smiled slightly then, "You're a lot like your cousin." Turning towards Eragon, she raised her voice slightly, "We haven't sparred since you first joined the Varden. Care to try again?"

* * *

Eragon was surprised when Arya challenged him to another match. She hadn't shown any interest in sparring with anyone since his test. He made his way down to join Arya in the center of the ring. He could feel the excitement coming off the men surrounding them. The men had, naturally, been fascinated by Arya during her match with Roran and wear eager to see another match against someone who was more evenly matched. Eragon drew his sword, wishing he still had Zar'roc. Nasuada had seen to it that he was outfitted with a new one made by the dwarves but it still seemed frail compared to the elven weapon. He slowly turned to face Arya. The two watched each other for awhile, waiting to see who would make the first move. Knowing that Arya could wait for an endless amount of time, Eragon made the first move, striking out at her left side. She flicked it aside and then went after him. He was surprised because the attacks actually seemed…personal. She was putting more emotion into each of her blows than he'd ever seen her put into anything and he started wondering what she was thinking about. As she started trying to push him backwards, he stood his ground, both of them circling as their swords clashed dangerously. When she was only an inch away from him, she leaned over and whispered in his ear. "Nasuada tells me that you're going after the Ra'zac_._" Her voice was angry and his head snapped up to look at her face. The indifferent mask that she usually wore had been discarded and he could see every emotion play across her face. She was furious. He barely had time to duck when she took advantage of his momentary carelessness. "What are you thinking?! You could be killed!! I did not spend 15 years protecting Saphira, only to have the two of you get killed now!!" she hissed. Every word was accented sharply.He had spent so much time with her that he didn't really notice her accent anymore but the exotic trill in her voice came out strongly when she was angry. She sounded frustrated but refused to stop long enough for him to explain. "This is one of the stupidest things you have done, Eragon." He struggled to explain himself but she cut in, "Too many people have given up everything for you, even died for you, and if anything happens to you now it will all be for nothing." Arya was only an inch away from him and kept getting closer. He was distantly aware of the crowd parting behind him as she drove him backwards. Eragon ducked from her next attack, scooting around her and trying to get her from behind. She spun around quickly, her sword clashing against his. Before he knew what had happened, he felt the cold blade against his throat and froze. Arya glared at him for a moment before lowering it. He was surprised to see that her breathing was heavier than normal, almost matching his own ragged panting. She quickly turned and walked away, leaving him panting in the middle of the cheering crowd. He stared after her, unsure whether to follow or not. The crowd had gathered around him, slapping him on the back and saying things that didn't quite register in his mind. He hurriedly made his way through the crowd. Saphira was waiting patiently a few yards away.

_We should go talk to her._ Saphira said. She had heard the entire conversation through Eragon and was worried. Arya had rarely shown her anger and, even when she did, not to this extent. _"What am I supposed to say?"_ Eragon asked, settling himself into the saddle. _I don't know but we need to try and fix it. Just try to explain. I'm afraid your friendship may not last through another argument._

"_Are we even friends though, Saphira? I haven't spoken to her since I apologized before the battle." _Saphira didn't say anything for a moment and then cautiously replied, _I believe Arya wants to care for you but you make it hard for her to do so. I think that, if you don't put her into any more compromising positions, you will remain friends. We need her help Eragon. _Saphira flew low, looking below her for the elf. They finally spotted her sitting out on a hill, staring out at the mountains surrounding them. She was hugging her knees to her chest and resting her chin on them. Saphira landed behind them and, when Eragon dismounted, Arya stood up and started walking away. Eragon sighed and called out loudly, "If you don't want me here then I'll leave." He began mounting again when her voice stopped him.

"You don't have to go."

Eragon slowly walked over to her. Something in her voice had him worried but he couldn't place the emotion. She lowered herself to the ground, pulling her knees back to her chest. Eragon watched her in silence. There was obviously something disturbing her.

"Roran's fiancé was kidnapped by the Ra'zac" he finally said. He wasn't sure how much she knew of the situation other than they'd be going after the Ra'zac. She looked up and met his eyes. He could see the surprise in them, as well as the pity. "She's still alive and we think the Ra'zac have her at Helgrind." He pauses and then adds, "It's my fault Garrow was killed and Carvahall was destroyed. The least I can do for him is get Katrina back."

"I didn't know." She said quietly, looking ashamed. "Nasuada only told me that you and Roran were leaving to go after the Ra'zac."

"It's alright. And we'll be careful." He said teasingly, knowing that would be the next thing she'd say. "Our main goal is to get Katrina out of there, not kill the Ra'zac." Arya observes his face for a moment and then, deciding that he was telling the truth, nods once in acceptance.

"When are you leaving?"

"If Roran's ready, then we'll leave the day after tomorrow. I'd like to get Katrina and be back before too long. There's still much to do here and Oromis wishes for me to return and complete my training." They sit in silence for awhile before Eragon finally decides to say something. The silence is somewhat awkward and sad. "Arya, are you well?"

She remained quiet, staring straight ahead. Eragon began to worry that he went too far and should have just left her alone. He can't help but remember the last time he had asked her that question. She hadn't been happy with him. "Do you realize that it was exactly a year ago today that you found Saphira's egg?" she whispered.

"Oh yeah, it is. Happy birthday Saphira." Eragon said, laughing. Time had passed so quickly. It was hard to believe that Saphira was already a year old. Beside him, Saphira hummed happily. He noticed that Arya looked even more depressed than before. He called her name softly and she met his eyes.

"A year ago today we were ambushed. That was the beginning of my imprisonment in Gilead…and the day I lost my mate." Her voice is emotionless but it's obvious that she's upset. Eragon lowers his eyes, ashamed for having been joking around with Saphira and not realizing what that day meant for Arya.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. Arya remained silent, resting her chin on her knees again. "So Faolin…he was your mate?" Eragon asked. He had suspected it but wasn't certain. Arya nodded, shutting her eyes.

"Yes. He was my mate…" She looked up at him sadly. For a moment it looked like her eyes were getting watery but then she looked back down at her lap so he was uncertain.

Eragon wasn't sure what to say so he chose not to say anything at all, rather than make the situation worse. _I'm sorry for your loss._ Saphira told her. Arya simply nodded in acknowledgement. They sat in silence for awhile until Arya finally straightened up. She wiped her eyes, confirming that she had, in fact, been crying and then looked him.

"So, how have you been since I last saw you?" She gave him a hint of a smile, as if to reassure him that she would be fine.

"I've been well. And you?"

"I've been kept busy. All the dwarves have been informed of Hrothgar's funeral. They should arrive by tomorrow. The funeral is planned for tomorrow afternoon."

"Nasuada informed us this morning." He paused and then asked her, "Will you be busy tomorrow evening?" Arya tilted her head, lifting an eyebrow, as she observed him.

"I'm not certain. Did you want me for something?"

"There's a celebration planned for tomorrow evening. Hrothgar had planned to have me fully initiated into the Dûrgrimst Ingeitum when I returned. The other dwarves have decided to follow through with it and I was wondering if you'd like to come." Eragon watched her out of the corner of his eye. His intent was completely innocent but, with his history, he wasn't sure if she would realize that. Luckily, she didn't seem irritated by his request.

"Do they allow people outside their clan to come?" she asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"I asked Orik and he said I could invite my friends and family." Arya stayed silent, considering the invitation.

"I can't promise anything but if I'm not too busy then I may stop by for a little while." Eragon only smiled in return, afraid he'd give away his excitement if he said anything. They sat together for a few more minutes. Eragon quietly observed Arya as she exchanged pleasantries with Saphira awhile longer. It was almost as if her anger and sadness had never existed. She was speaking enthusiastically, even laughing occasionally, as she described her travels to the various dwarf clans. When she reached the part about her discussion with the dwarf priests, Eragon started laughing uncontrollably.

"Do you insult them every time you speak to them?" he asked between chuckles. A grin crept over her face as she thought back on their latest conversation.

"I don't insult them. I merely state my opinion on the matter. Is it my fault they consider anything I say an insult?" By the end she was smiling brightly. Her smile was infectious, causing Eragon to grin as well.

"Well, when you basically tell them that there is no point in holding this funeral for their king because their gods don't exist and there is no afterlife for him to join anyways, I think they might be a little insulted." She just continued grinning and shrugged, dismissing the subject.

"I should probably be returning." She finally said, realizing that over an hour had passed. _Yes, we should as well. Roran will be wondering where we've been. Arya, would you like a ride back? _

"I'd appreciate it, thank you." Eragon climbed into the saddle and then offered Arya his hand. She took it, swinging up behind him. She loosely wrapped an arm around his waist to steady herself as Saphira leaped into the air. As they landed, a young messenger boy came rushing up.

"Oh, thank God. Nasuada has been searching for you both for hours." He said breathlessly.

"Why, did something happen?" Arya asked, worried.

"No but she's called a meeting and requests that both of you are there. It's in an hour." The boy told them the location of the meeting and then bowed and left. Arya turned towards Eragon.

"Goodbye Eragon." She turned and left without another word, leaving Eragon staring after her retreating form.

* * *

An hour later, Eragon headed to Nasuada's chambers. Saphira had stayed behind, quite grumpily, because she couldn't fit into the small room. He knocked on the door and then walked in. Nasuada was seated at the head of the long table, with Arya on her left and the Council taking up the whole right side. Jeod and Orik were also there. Eragon took the only free seat between Arya and Orik, wondering what this meeting was about. Every seat was taken at the small table but there were only a few people in attendance. He quietly greeted everyone before turning to face Nasuada. Nasuada stood up, calling all eyes to her. She cleared her throat before addressing the group.

"Well I'm sure everyone wants to know why I've called you all here." She hesitates and then continues, "I'm just going to jump straight into it. I want to look into rebuilding the Dragon Riders." Everyone looks at her, confusion written all over their faces. Even if they did have the final egg, it had taken years to hatch. No ones says a word though, waiting to see what their leader is thinking. She turns to Jeod, "Jeod, you and Brom rescued Saphira's egg. What do you think the chances are of getting the last egg?" Jeod grits his teeth and shakes his head.

"I can look into it but Galbatorix probably has it under heavy surveillance now. The chances of someone sneaking it away are slim." Nasuada nods, she had expected that answer.

"Well it wouldn't matter anyways. We would have time." She mumbled. By now everyone is completely confused. Eragon taps Arya's arm and mouths, 'what is she talking about?' and Arya shrugged in return, shaking her head, looking just as confused as the rest of the room. Nasuada smiles, "Ok, I can tell you are getting confused. As you all know by now, the only known child of a Dragon Rider is now a Rider himself. This latest development has got me thinking…is it possible that a Rider could, in turn, produce another Rider. The Dragon Riders never had children so I'm not sure if this would work but, if Eragon is willing, it might be worth trying. Eragon, you don't have to agree to this but I wanted to know what everyone's opinion is." Eragon is quiet for a moment, trying to catch Arya's eye to see what she thinks about it. She turned her head, looking away from him. _"Saphira." _He called. He wanted her opinion on the matter. It was a big decision and he was confused as to what to do. _I am assuming you want to know what I think._

"_Aye. I'm not sure what to do. It is a good idea. Dragons didn't hatch very often and if we have a chance of rebuilding them quicker then we shouldn't pass it up…but the child would be born in the middle of a war…and then there's Arya…"_ he trailed off. He heard Saphira sigh. She thought for a moment before answering him, her words slow and cautious.

_It is strange that the only children of a Rider have both become Riders themselves. It is possible that something is passed on from parent to child that will affect their chances of an egg hatching. See what the others think and then, if you wish to do this, I do not object. It would be nice to have another Rider on our side…though the war will likely be finished there will still be much to do. Galbatorix has wreaked havoc on this land for a hundred years. We would be the only Dragon and Rider left and we cannot do everything on our own._ She pauses briefly before continuing, _and as for Arya, perhaps it is time to move on. You did promise to stop pursuing her. _Eragon thought about her words and realized that she was probably right. Arya would never agree to be with him. He could find happiness with his child, even if he didn't love its mother…whoever that would be. Making his decision, Eragon stood up. The low whispering of the room died down as everyone turned to look at him.

"I've spoken with Saphira and we think Nasuada could be onto something. The war will hopefully be over by the time the child is old enough to be a Rider but there will still be much to do and Saphira and I cannot do everything. If everyone thinks it's worth trying, then I am willing to do it." As he finished, he looked around the table, wondering what others were thinking. Nasuada appeared pleased with his answer, as did the Council and Orik. Jeod was smiling and nodded his head when he felt Eragon's eyes upon him. Beside him, Arya was watching him, her emotions guarded and hidden behind her usual mask and he desperately wanted to know what she was thinking.

"Thank you Eragon. Does anyone else have an opinion on the matter?" Nasuada said, smiling at Eragon. The Council leaned together, speaking in hushed whispers. Finally Jormundur stood up.

"The Council approves of this idea and fully supports Eragon, should he wish to pursue it." The rest of the Council nodded in agreement. Next Jeod stood up, rubbing his chin as he thought.

"It would be a good idea. And if the war isn't over, we'll have had enough time to get our hands on that last egg when the child is ready to go into training. If nothing else, it will be an interesting experiment." Nasuada nodded as Jeod finished and then faced Orik and Arya in turn.

"Orik? Arya? What are your opinions?"

"Aye. It took years to get Saphira to hatch. If the child would have a better chance at hatching that last egg then I say go for it." Orik said gruffly. Everyone turned to face Arya, who still sat in silence. Since the elves were the founders of the Dragon Riders, her opinion mattered the most. Hopefully she'd understand a bit more about how it worked. Everyone watched her impatiently and, for a moment, it appeared as if she was going to argue.

"I suppose it is plausible," she said hesitantly. "It has never been tested though and it may not work. There is a lot to consider. If a child is produced, it would have to be hidden. If Galbatorix ever found out he could use the child against Eragon and it would only be natural for Eragon to want to protect his child."

"I realize that." Nasuada said, "We would make arrangements to keep the child hidden. We would need to look into it more but perhaps we could place the child with another family, one that can't be connected to Eragon, or it could be raised with the Varden's orphans." Arya frowns in response but nods stiffly.

"I suppose." She replied. She didn't sound particularly happy about it but didn't argue.

"Umm, who would be the mother?" Eragon asked.

"Am I right in assuming that there's no one you are interested in?" Nasuada asked him. He shook his head. He supposed Arya didn't count seeing as she had no interest in him. Nasuada smiled. "That is why I called this meeting. You are some of the most trusted members of the Varden. Whoever bears this child would need to be someone the Varden can trust completely. I'm not asking anyone here to bear the child but can anyone think of a girl who we could trust to do this?"

In the silence that follows, Eragon happened to glance at Arya. Her head is bowed and her eyes are shut. She feels his eyes on her and looks up, her solemn green eyes meeting his. He feels her touch his mind and briefly wonders what's going on. She never contacted him in that manner. _I suppose I can not talk you out of this. _Her voice sounds weary. It becomes firmer as she continues. _Very well. Give me time to think this through but I'll come find you later. If we can reach an agreement, I may consider doing it._ Eragon's eyes widen but no one else notices. The rest of the Council has remained silent, deep in thought. _"What?!"_ He's in complete shock. The last thing he'd expected was for Arya to volunteer to bear his child. _Aye, now if you want this to be an option, speak up. Ask Nasuada to postpone this. _She sounds amused by his shock. _"Why won't you just tell her you'll do it?" I have not agreed to anything yet. I'm only considering it. Now speak up before someone else is nominated._ Arya growled, beginning to get frustrated with him. _"Why are-" _Arya cut him off, _Eragon!! Just do it! I'll explain everything later. "Well what do you want me to say?"_ She gives an exasperated huff. _I don't know. Make something up. _Eragon stood up, clearing his throat as he decided what he wanted to say.

"I was wondering if we could possibly wait. I'd like the chance to find someone myself." He glanced at Arya out of the corner of his eye and flinched when her indifferent mask reappeared.

"Certainly. As I said, you are under no oath to go through with this. Take your time. You may all go now." Nasuada said, dismissing them. Arya was the first one up, hurrying out the door. Eragon moved to follow her but her voice echoed through his mind again. _Don't follow. I'll come to you tonight when I've had time to think._ Eragon stopped, staring after her.

Eragon slowly returned to the room he was sharing with Roran. Saphira was waiting impatiently. _So? What happened?_ She asked eagerly. Eragon sat down on his bed. "Nasuada has given me time to find someone myself…Arya is considering it." Saphira looked shocked, _Considering what? Surely she isn't…_ Eragon nodded. "She said she needs time to think but she'll come find me later and we'll discuss it." _I would never have imagined Arya even considering a child. I wonder what she's thinking._ "I guess I'll find out tonight."

That night, he stayed up for hours waiting for Arya. After peaking outside one more time, he sighed and flopped down on the hard cot. The dwarves had done their best to accommodate all the sudden arrivals but it was difficult. Hundreds more dwarves were coming every day. Most of the Varden had volunteered to sleep out in the courtyard in tents. They were used to sleeping in rough conditions. He looked over at Roran, who was snoring loudly on the other side of the tent. He had volunteered to share with his cousin. They still had a lot to catch up on and this gave him an opportunity to. But Roran had fallen asleep hours before and Saphira lay curled up outside the doorway, sleeping sounding. He pulled the covers up to his chin and drifted into a restless sleep, resigning himself to the fact that Arya wasn't coming.

**It isn't a crime to want  
A little space to breathe  
But you will be fine, The sun again will shine  
On you  
Whatever you do**

**Take your sweet, sweet time  
Cuz I'll be here, when you change your mind  
Take your sweet, sweet time  
I'll be here for you baby  
Anytime**

**I'm feeling you pull away  
'Cause letting go isn't easy for me  
But you'll never fly  
With someone else's wings, I know  
Wherever you go**

**Take your sweet, sweet time  
I'll be here, when you change your mind  
Take your sweet, sweet time  
I'll be here for you baby  
Anytime**

**I will never stand in your way  
Wherever your heart may lead you  
I will love you the same  
And I will be your comfort everyday  
Do you hear the words I say?**

**Take your sweet, sweet time  
I'll be here when you change your mind  
Take your sweet, sweet time  
I'll be here for you baby  
Take your sweet, sweet time  
I'll be here when you change your mind  
Take your sweet, sweet time  
I'll be here for you baby  
Anytime**

**Oh, I'll be here, for you  
I will be here  
Ioh I'll be here  
I will be here**

* * *

A/n – ok, so that didn't go as badly as I expected. Well…lemme know what you think. :D I'm hoping to have a few chapters done before I post this. And next time…What is Arya thinking? Is she going to talk to Eragon?


	2. Chapter 2

There You'll Be

There You'll Be

Chapter Two

A/n – okay, just to comment on something fAteD lOvE said. She is completely right. I am not delusional enough to think this will EVER happen. This is just a wild idea I came up with and decided to have fun with it. Unlike so many stories on here, it is not something I think could possibly happen in the future. I chose to start it after the second book because it was less for me to have to describe. BUT I have thought this through very thoroughly...complete with a 54 page detailed summary of the story. haha. I know…that's pitiful. Anyways, she commented that the elves would frown upon this. :D Trust me, I've already thought about that. Might as well give you a couple spoilers...the elves are NOT going to be happy. It wouldn't be accurate to have them accept this with no issue. Some of them weren't happy that Saphira hatched for Eragon and not an elf...how do you think they'll react when he gets their princess pregnant? lol. So yes, I have thought through lots of the little details and I am TRYING to keep it as close to plausible as possible...granted there will be some changes but I'm trying. I don't want to stray too far from the original books. I'm going to be incorporating unfinished ideas from the books into this story (as best I can) and I'll try not to get the characters too OOC. If one of them does something that doesn't seem normal for them, I'll explain it…which is why I have rewritten this chapter and focused it more on Arya then Eragon. Okay. Now that we got that said and done...

So, just for fun...I made a playlist of all the songs I listen to while writing this. I know I don't tend to read the lyrics posted in stories and I figure most people don't either but I still put them in. So I thought about it and decided to post the songs so you can listen to them if you like. I have the playlist playing the entire time I'm writing. I'll post the link in my profile because I can't get it to work in this...it screws up the link. Some are youtube links cuz the song wasn't listed in the playlist. Haha. And bonus points to anyone who can guess parts of the plot by listening to the songs!!

LALALA

Arya cautiously approached Eragon's tent in the early hours of the morning. She pulled back the flap and tiptoed inside, staying as quiet as possible. She glanced back outside briefly, wondering whether she should even have come, and then let the material fall shut behind her. Eragon was sound asleep, curled up under the heavy blankets. Settling herself onto the ground, she prepared to wait. If she left now she wasn't sure if she'd be back and she had promised to at least discuss the matter with him. She looked over at Roran, jumping slightly when she saw him sitting up, staring at her with a confused look on his face. He leaned over and shoved Eragon roughly. After a moment, Eragon rolled over and noticed her.

"Arya?" He was obviously confused. Arya stood up quickly and began heading for the exit.

"It's late. I shouldn't have come." She mumbled quietly. Eragon's hand reached out, grabbing her wrist.

"Wait." Arya cautiously turned around, glancing over her shoulder at the only exit. Finally she turned back to him and gave him a weak smile.

"We need to talk" she said softly. He nodded, already climbing out from under his covers. She looked away as he dug for a shirt and pulled it on. He nodded his head in the direction of the opening, glancing back at Roran who had already fallen back asleep. Arya followed him outside to where Saphira lay curled up, breathing softly in her sleep. Eragon settled himself against Saphira's warm belly, watching her intently. Arya slowly sat down, putting as much distance between them as possible. She knew he was confused. He knew how special children were to the elves and, though she hadn't wanted to be, she had been rather harsh in her last attempt to make him see that she would never take him as her mate. Her sudden suggestion must have confused him.

"I suppose you want to know why I'm considering this" she said flatly. He nodded and she watched him quietly for a moment. Finally she sighed, lowering her eyes. "There are a lot of reasons. I've been thinking and this may be our best option." She paused, observing him. "Eragon, if a human were chosen instead, would you marry her?" Eragon looked taken aback.

"I…I don't know. I hadn't thought of it. Why?"

"Because if you didn't marry her, the child would be born a bastard. You would have difficulty finding a woman who would bear your child out of wedlock. It isn't acceptable in your race. The woman's image would be ruined forever and the child wouldn't be recognized as your heir, even though it would be your eldest child." Eragon nodded in understanding.

"So your saying that if we-" he began to say, quickly being cut off.

"They can't expect us to marry if I do not believe in marriage. I believe they'd be more accepting of the situation." She paused and then met his eyes, her gaze growing fierce, "Eragon, whoever bears your child will gain a lot of power and respect in the Varden, especially if they marry you. I'm afraid that, if the Council realizes this, they will use it to gain power over Nasuada. Though I doubt Sabrae or Elessari would volunteer themselves, anyone on the Council could nominate a family member. They would still gain an unimaginable amount of power by being related to you. I can not let that happen. It could destroy the Varden."

"So…you'd do this to protect the Varden?" She nodded. He seemed to understand her reasoning. She looked at him for a few moments, debating with herself, and then smiled at him.

"And because you're my friend. I wouldn't want to see you forced to marry a woman who cared only for power and nothing for you or the child." He stared at her in disbelief and she was disappointed that he doubted her. She did care a great deal about him, even if it was only as a friend. Switching to the ancient language, she assured him, "I do care for you." He nods slowly, looking slightly defeated. She continued before he got any ideas, "This can not change anything between us. We will remain friends and nothing more. Once the child has been conceived, you must promise that you will stop pursuing me."

"I can not stop my feelings so easily." He mumbled. She shook her head, serious.

"I'm not asking you to. I know that one's emotions can not be turned off." She hesitated, lowering her eyes, and then whispered, "Faolin had been dead for a year now but my feelings for him remain strong." She looked back up, "I am only asking you to keep your feelings to yourself. If you can not promise me this, I will not agree to have this child."

"I will try not to put you into any more uncomfortable positions." He whispered. Arya smiled slightly, nodding. It would do.

"Then there are a couple things I need your opinion on before I agree to this. Will it matter to you whether the child is a boy or a girl? We will have no control over this so you must be content with whatever we get."

"Of course not!" he sounded slightly offended. "It'd still be my child and I'd love it if it were born a pig!" Arya muffled a laugh, not wanting to wake up anyone in the tents around them.

"Well I don't think we'll have to worry about that." She smiled for a moment longer and then grew serious again, "and what if the child doesn't become a Rider? There is no guarantee it will work." He shook his head.

"It wouldn't matter." He looked at her curiously for a moment, "Would it matter to you?" She lifted her eyebrows, amused.

"Dragon Rider or not, our child would have an important future." She smiles slyly. "One day my mother will step down and I will take her place as Queen. This child would be my heir." She watched him, still smiling slightly, as realization dawned on him. With any other woman, if the child failed to become a Rider, it would be considered a failure but, with her as its mother, they had a fallback plan. The child would always have a purpose in this world. He lowered his eyes, watching her out of the corner of his eye.

"So will you do it?" She nodded, making her decision.

"I will." Her voice became stern, "When the child's born, you can be as involved as you'd like but I won't hold you to anything. You are still needed in this war and that is more important than either me or this child. I will not let you neglect your duties because of this" She softened slightly, "…but I would like you to be there."

"I want to be there but I know that I have other duties that must come first." She smiled weakly.

"Then we should do this soon. The Varden should not need you for a few months at least." Eragon looks slightly confused so she explains, "I don't believe Murtagh will be sent out again for a few months. Galbatorix will punish him for letting you go and then he'll have to prove that he can be trusted again. Islanzadi has sent out the elves. The dwarves will not remain in the Beor Mountains for much longer. Surda has declared war on the Empire. The Varden are not alone in this war. Before you came along, we managed to hold them off for decades. As long as Murtagh remains in Urû'baen, the Varden will be able to handle this on their own." Eragon nodded but remained silent. He was obviously deep in thought. She watched him curiously for a moment and then he looked up.

"Roran still expects me to go with him to save Katrina." Arya considered it for a moment and then nodded.

"Go then. This can wait until you return." It would give her more time to figure this whole situation out.

"Really?" he asked doubtfully.

"Yes. Go with him." She insisted. She paused and then looked ashamed, "I told Nasuada about Glaedr." Eragon looked up at her in shock. "I did not tell her many details, only that we had hidden an injured male dragon in Ellesméra. When you go with Roran, I will return to Ellesméra. If I'm lucky, I may be able to convince Glaedr to mate with Saphira, at least temporarily." She laughed humorlessly, "If I can go against the elves customs and bear you a child, surely he could agree to mate with Saphira until the third egg hatches. The Varden is returning to Surda so I will meet you there. Nasuada will need to be informed of Glaedr's decision. Then I'll return to Ellesméra to birth and raise the child." She meets his eyes, "I'm assuming you'd like to come along as well?" He nodded.

"I swore to return and complete my training anyways." He paused and then asked, "Why are you returning to Ellesméra?"

"Eragon, I'll only be in the way if I remain here. It will be safer in Ellesméra, both for me and the child. Once I'm heavily pregnant I don't know if I will be able to defend myself as easily. I know you and I don't want you distracted by trying to protect me. I know you put wards around me during this last battle. I can only imagine what you'd do when I'm carrying your child." She paused and then looked him in the eye, "I don't want to raise my child in the middle of a war…and it may be best if no one even knows the child exists." He nods.

"I suppose it would distract me…" he admitted. She remained silent, reluctant to bring up the next topic. Finally she lowered her eyes, refusing to look at him.

"When we…conceive the child, I'd like it if we could remain somewhat modest." He looked confused.

"Modest?" She nodded, understanding why he sounded confused.

"Modest. As in keep your eyes up" she said, emphasizing the word 'up', "and leave on any clothes that don't need to be removed. I'll admit it. I'm not exactly comfortable with this."

"I don't want you to be uncomfortable." His eyes became distant as he considered it. The side of his mouth quirked slightly and she saw his gaze flicker down to her lips. She smiled as she realized what he was thinking.

"And yes, kissing is okay." If it would keep him distracted, she was willing to go that far. Eragon's eyes widened as she answered his unasked question. She just kept smiling and then changed the subject. "When we return to Ellesméra, you'll need to scry the Varden regularly. I'll help you with that. If another big battle is approaching, you must leave me and return to the Varden." He opens his mouth but she cuts him off before he can protest, "You must. They need you more than me. I'll be perfectly fine in Ellesméra. Promise you won't neglect your duties because of me and the child. Ending this war is the most important thing."

"I promise not to neglect my duties," he said in the ancient language, sealing his vow. Arya nodded absently, deep in thought. She could sense him watching her so she turned back, sighing quietly.

"I think I should already be pregnant when we return to Ellesméra. The elves won't be pleased but they'll have to accept it if I'm already carrying the child." She sighed again and Eragon scooted closer to her, laying his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him.

"Are you certain you want to do this? You don't have to…I don't have to. We can just forget the whole idea." She smiled slightly at his concern.

"I'm certain." She leaned back against Saphira and they both sat in a comfortable silence. She soon found herself drifting off.

"Arya?" he called softly. She shifted slightly, unconsciously leaning closer to him.

"Hmm?"

"What will the Varden do without you?"

"I'll find someone to replace me. I have a few of the younger elves in mind. I'll tell Nasuada that I'm returning to Ellesméra but, for now, I'd rather not tell her about the baby or that I won't be returning." Eragon looked disappointed.

"You won't ever be returning to the Varden?" She lifted one of her sculpted eyebrows, staring at him.

"Eragon, I'll have a child." She said bluntly. "Until he or she is grown, that will be my entire life. Hopefully the war will be over by then but, if it isn't, I may consider rejoining the Varden. But that is still many years away and very unlikely." He nods and they fall into silence again, Arya's eyes drifting shut.

"Arya?" he calls again.

"What Eragon?" She kept her eyes shut, slightly annoyed with his constant questioning.

"How exactly does this happen?" She sits up, staring at him in disbelief. There's a trace of amusement there too.

"Please tell me I don't need to explain that to you." A grin spreads over her face as his face reddens, noticeable even in the dark.

"I didn't mean it like that!" he exclaimed, his face blushing brighter. "It's just…I don't know much about elf children or pregnancies or anything. I wanted to know beforehand." She's still grinning at his embarrassment but leans back again. She can feel her eyelids getting heavier and harder to keep open. Hesitating, she leans against Eragon, scooting sideways until she can comfortably rest her head on his shoulder. She shuts her eyes as she begins talking.

"Hmm…well, as you know, children are very rare. This child will be the greatest honor and responsibility I ever have and ever will take on. Even if the others are angry with us, the baby will be fawned over for years. We do mature slightly slower than humans but, because we're stronger, the baby will be able to crawl and walk at around the same time, though it varies depending on the child. Elves don't have any particular age when they reach maturity. There is no exact point in time where one suddenly goes from child to adult. What I can tell you though, is that you would still be a child and I am an adult." She sighs, "That alone will cause problems." She pauses and looks up at him, smiling slightly, "I'll basically be raising two children." Eragon looks offended and she smiles.

"I don't mean it like that. I mean this baby will tie you to the elves forever and, because of that, you have much to learn about our culture. I'll start teaching you when we reach Ellesméra." She laughs lightly then, "At least I'll have someone to practice on before the baby arrives."

"And what about the pregnancy?" Arya hesitates, trying to figure out where to start.

"You need to remember, I haven't lived with my people for most of my life. I was very young when I left and I've only been back occasionally since then. I can not even remember seeing a pregnant elf. I don't know as much as I should about the subject but I never expected to become pregnant so soon, if at all. This will be strange for me. I've never considered myself to be a particularly maternal person. When I'm in Ellesméra, I'll try to sneak into the library and find some books about what to expect. I don't want to draw any attention to myself though so I may have to wait until we announce the pregnancy. I can tell you the basics though. Elves are pregnant for twelve months, not nine." She pauses, frowning, and then continues hesitantly, "I'm pretty sure it will be twelve but since the baby will be half human we'll have to wait and see. It could come earlier I suppose. Otherwise, it is fairly similar to humans. I may feel ill during the first months and become uncomfortable as my pregnancy progresses. We are quite different from humans though so I'm not sure how to compare them." Eragon was quiet for a moment and then looked at her curiously.

"Do elves get mood swings?" Arya looked taken aback for a moment and then frowned.

"I'm not sure but we've always hidden our emotions so I don't think it'll matter." She paused, stifling a yawn. "Can we continue this conversation later?"

"Sure." He settled back against Saphira. Arya surprised them both when she decided to stay beside him rather than returning to her own tent. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders to make her more comfortable and she stiffened at the contact but allowed herself to remain curled against him. As they're drifting off, Eragon called her name again. She mumbled in response. He quietly said, "Please, let me in during the pregnancy. I want to help so if your ever feeling sick or tired or anything, let me know." She smiled slightly, relaxing into him.

"I will." She whispered so quietly he could barely hear her. They drift off to sleep, neither noticing that Saphira had turned her head and was watching them through half-opened eyes. She hummed happily to herself, gently placing a wing over the sleeping pair, before drifting back to sleep.

LALALA

A/n - And I just had to say thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter...and added me to their favorites or their alert lists. HUGS I got so giggly when i got all those messages. haha. So thanks to...hurting-angel, Euphora, Zmoe Anger, Evilness Surrounding, mystery writer5775, Lord Cornelius Ravencroft, ANGELOFTHEBLACKROSES, Ryder Blade, christina, Vaapad and fAteD lOvE!! lol. Also a thanks to Dronzer and Aya Myojo Kitsune (ok, that's fun to spell) who didn't review but did add me to their alert list. lol.

I'm looking forward to ya'lls reviews. And for those who I couldn't reply to, I plan on updating every Friday but there's a chance I'll update on Tuesdays some weeks. It depends on who quickly I'm writing.


	3. Tequila Talkin

There You'll Be

There You'll Be

Chapter Three - Tequila Talkin

A/n – and here we go again!! Yahoo!! note sarcasm Sorry this is another long one. lol. How many people actually read that first one? But ok, once again, I do not believe this is anything that could ever possibly happen in the actual books. But, then again, neither are all the Saphira/Eragon fics, the Murtagh/Eragon fics, the Saphira/Arya fics (I think I saw that one somewhere...can't remember). Those are the stories I wanna know how people came up with them!! But anyways, what I'm saying is...ya'll don't need to stress so much!! lol. I warned you in the 1st chapter that i am terrible at starting out stories. This particular story started from the middle and worked itself out both directions (I think I've got it loosely planned out until the kid's like...20. haha. I may be making a sequal for that part though!!). So ya, I had to decide...okay, so how did Arya get pregnant. lol. Lemme tell ya...that was quite amusing. I ended up with 3 possible solutions. There was this one which I found the most fun with and could do the most with. There was another boring future fic where they've already gotten together and we can skip all the fun...I thought this was more original so I'm leaving the future fics to other writers. Then I had a darker fic...but it woulda involved a LOT of background info and probably woulda been 20 chapters in before we "got down to business". So ya...fun stuff, ain't it? Hopefully this story will run smoother once we actually get past all this fun setting stuff up phase. :D

**_I suggest you read this paragraph!_** lol. I know people probably aren't reading these. But I might as well tell you where I'm taking this. This is not some story that I'm writing off the top of my head. The idea was random and wouldn't leave me alone but I've really thought this out. I know exactly where I'm taking it. First, as I've already said, there isn't going to be a good response to this on any side really. But basically...Arya is about to go through Hell again. And let's see...I suppose I can tell you this...I think Arya already has feelings for Eragon. I'm including my opinions in this story. So basically, she likes him. She's just extremely confused and refusing to admit it. Oh, and I don't think I've mentioned this but I did a lot of research on pregnancy (and some on young children...I'll probably be doing more as we get closer to "the birth"). lol. I am changing details (since elves are different from humans, I figured their pregnancies would be different too) but I found a lot of stuff I can play with. :p I'm telling you, I am about to put Arya through physical and emotional hell!! haha. Which, in turn, will most likely put Eragon through hell. Hmm...what else...I am an incrediably random person. My coming up with this story is proof enough. There will be parts of this story (particularly any chapters that aren't extremely planned out) that are complete and total random nonsense. It's basically an idea that popped into my head as I was writing and I decided to throw it in for fun. Oh, and this might explain a bit. haha. My writing is done primarily between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m. So ya, there are days I am a bit outta it when I'm writing...those tend to be the chapters/parts that have you going "what the hell is she thinking?" Trust me, I'm thinking it too when I reread some of this stuff. Hmm...I guess that's good. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask.

Oh, and I won't go into too much detail about the funeral or Eragon's initiation into the Dûrgrimst Ingeitum. The funeral because it will be boring, the initiation because I found a much more amusing way to do it. You'll see. :D Well, enjoy. Oh, and this was written the same day as chapter 2...at about 3 in the morning. So my strange humor has carried over to this chapter I'm afraid. lol. Be prepared for lots of awkwardness and embarrassment. lol. So anyways enjoy...and sorry about the extremely long a/n again...I'll try to be better and I'm not really expecting anyone to actually sit through them. haha

LALALA

The next morning, Arya was gone. In all honesty, he had expected her to be. For a brief moment he wondered if the night before had even happened but he could still smell the faint scent of pine needles surrounding him and knew that she had been there. He stood up and stretched, allowing Saphira to stand up as well. _Good morning little one._ She sounded smug. _Arya left only a few minutes ago. I must admit that was the funniest thing I've seen in awhile. She was rather distressed when she woke to find herself cuddled up with you. _Eragon's eyes got wide. He hoped he hadn't done anything to upset her, even if he had been sleeping.

"_I didn't…do anything, did I?"_ he asked hesitantly.

_No, you didn't do a thing. She, on the other hand, managed to push you down at some point during the night and woke up on top of you. _Saphira chuckled deep in her throat. _You may not want to mention it. She seemed relieved when you didn't wake up._ Eragon nodded. He wasn't about to do anything that would risk their friendship.

Hrothgar's funeral was a few hours later. It reminded him terribly of Ajihad's funeral, only on a bigger scale. Almost every dwarf in the Beor Mountains had showed up to see their king off to the afterlife. Afterwards, they'd be choosing a new king, as well as a new clan leader for the Dûrgrimst Ingeitum. Eragon and Saphira plodded along behind Orik, who was unsuccessfully trying not to break down. As they approached the end of the procession, Arya fell in step beside him, prepared to explain something to him should he not understand. She smiled, greeting him and they walked in silence. She appeared somewhat tense but relaxed when she realizes he wasn't going to say anything about the previous night. She stood beside him during the whole ceremony, occasionally leaning over and whispering something in his ear, and finally it was over. A small group of dwarves walked to the middle of the room. It was time to begin again. A new leader would be chosen for Hrothgar's clan and then, from all the clan leaders, a new king. The dwarf council had been chosen to select a new clan leader. Everyone waited in impatient silence as they consulted among each other. Finally one of the stood up straight and called for everyone's attention.

"After taking Hrothgar's wishes into consideration, we have decided to nominate Orik, son of Thrifk, for the position of clan leader for the Dûrgrimst Ingeitum."

Eragon clapped and cheered with the rest of the crowd as Orik stepped forward to accept the title. Saphira roared her approval and even Arya cheered loudly. After Orik stepped back, the noise died down. The clan leaders were all called down, as well as a second council who would pick the new king. No one expected Orik to win that nomination when he hadn't yet proven himself so everyone was surprised when Orik was voted upon unanimously. Their reasoning was that, in this time of war, they wanted someone who would know what to do and would protect them at any cost. Orik was the best candidate for the job. He was crowned immediately. Afterwards he came running up and hugged Eragon, babbling unintelligible nonsense. They could occasionally decipher the name of the dwarf god, Helzvog.

"Congratulations." Eragon nearly shouted, excited for his friend. _Aye. Congratulations little king._ Saphira said, projecting her thoughts directly to the dwarf. She nudged him with her nose since she couldn't hug him.

"Congratulations Orik. You will do a great job." Arya said. For a moment it looked like Orik, in his euphoric state, was going to hug her too but then common sense got the better of him and he backed away.

"This was the last thing I expected!! Clan leader was one thing but KING!!" He almost fell over laughing. For the next hour, people were constantly coming up, bowing to their new king and congratulating him. Orik seemed to be basking in his newfound power. Congratulating him one last time, Eragon and Saphira excused themselves. Orik had repeatedly reminded them to be back at sunset for his official initiation into their clan. He wanted to go change and take a break before returning to the celebration.

LALALA

The next morning, Eragon rolled onto his back, groaning loudly. The sunlight streaming through the open flap door did nothing to help his headache. He felt the side of his bed sink down slightly as someone sat beside him. He pulled the blanket down slowly, coming face to face with Arya. She was leaning over him, her dark hair falling forward and tickling his face. He groaned again, covering his eyes in hopes of stopping the pounding headache. She smiled at his obvious pain.

"Good morning." She said cheerily, "Feeling okay?" He really didn't appreciate her mocking. He groaned and then looked at her.

"What time is it?" His voice was hoarse so he cleared his throat.

"About noon. You had a lovely night, didn't you?" Okay. She was definitely mocking him now.

"What happened?" he groaned. He couldn't remember much about the night before. He remember getting to the party, drinking, singing, drinking some more, dwarves cheering about something, more drinking. Other than that it was blank. He had no idea when Arya showed up, if she even did. But thinking about it, he figured that she must have come if she was with him now.

"Well, when I got there it was about 9. You were completely drunk…so was Saphira…and every other dwarf or human in the hall for that matter." She frowned briefly at the memory, "I followed you around for a couple hours and when you started vomiting I brought you back to my tent to sleep it off." She told him, a bright smile on her face. He quietly prayed that he didn't make a fool of himself in front of her while he was drunk. As her grin got wider, he realized he must have done or said something.

"What did I do?" He asked, not sure he wanted to know. She just shook her head, the goofy grin still plastered on her face. He looked at her seriously and she bit her lip. Her cheeks were beginning to ache from smiling so much.

"Nothing too terrible…don't worry. Though you did start rambling quite a bit on the way back here." Her grin widened again, "There was a lot of talk about the baby. Actually, all you talked about was the baby…" she began laughing, "who you seemed to think already existed because you began talking to my stomach!" She seemed to be in quite high spirits as she remembered his drunken actions.

"I didn't…" he groaned. He had been assuming that he had made a fool of himself but he hadn't expected anything that humiliating.

"Oh yes. Though I think my favorite part was when we got back to the tent. I sat beside you and you kissed my stomach. And when I informed you that there was no baby in there, you basically suggested that we put one in here." She laughed, patting her belly. He groaned, covering his head with the blanket as his face turned red. He couldn't believe he had done that. Finally he lowered the blanket, peaking out at her.

"We didn't…did we?" He was kind of hoping he'd be able to remember the one time he'd be allowed to lie with her.

"No. I have no intentions of returning to Ellesméra alone and pregnant." She couldn't stop smiling so he tried to ignore her, looking anywhere but at her.

"Sorry," he said gruffly.

"It's okay. At least I know our baby will have a loving, devoted father…though it could be an interesting pregnancy if you're going to act like you did last night." He threw the covers back over his head, completely embarrassed now. On top of everything, he still had a throbbing headache. She watched him in silence, slowly calming down. "So really, how are you?" she finally asked, her voice soft.

"My head is pounding," he said grumpily, "And your mocking really wasn't helping."

"I'm sorry." She said, though he doubted she meant it. She was having too much fun laughing at him. She did look concerned though, which pleased him to an extent.

"Did you stay with me all night?" he wondered.

"Of course. It is my tent after all. I didn't want to leave you alone because you were vomiting quite a bit. Roran was just a tad bit drunk as well so I brought you back here instead."

"Thank you."

"I need to get back to work. Take care of yourself." She tapped him lightly on the arm and stood up. Eragon stared after her with half-opened eyes. Thankfully, she closed the flap on her way out, making the tent considerably darker. He lay still for a few minutes longer and then drug himself out of the bed.

The day dragged by slowly for everyone who had attended the party the night before. The men from Carvahall had, unfortunately, learned that the dwarves were willing to hand out more alcohol than anyone could possibly consume. Sparring practice had been put on hold for the day since everyone had a terrible headache so Eragon decided to catch up with Roran and some of his old friends instead. They flopped down in the grass outside their tents, content to spend the day reminiscing about their travels and old times. For the hundredth time, Eragon repeated the story of what had happened since he'd left Carvahall. They never seemed to tire of hearing that story. He paused when he saw Arya approaching. He struggled to keep his face from flushing, still embarrassed by the previous night. All the boys around him were staring at her in awe but she completely ignored them, looking only at him.

"Hey!! You're the elf!!" Baldor exclaimed as she got closer. She held back a smile at his statement, which had been quickly followed by Albriech slapping him upside the head for his impertinence.

"My name is Arya."

"You're the one from Eragon's story!!" Like so many before him, Baldor was entranced by the graceful elf but, unlike the others, Baldor was not the least bit bashful around her.

She faced Eragon, "May I speak with you and Saphira?" When he began to rise, Arya walked away without another word. He and Saphira followed dutifully. He could hear the whistles and cheers from his rowdy friends and noticed Arya roll her eyes at their childish behavior. She finally stopped a distance away from the camp and turned to face him.

"I'll be leaving for Ellesméra in the morning. I'm not certain if I'll see you again before then so I wanted to wish you good luck on your journey. Be careful Shadeslayer." She looked at Saphira then, "You be careful as well and bring them all back safely." Saphira lowered her head, _I will. I wish you luck as well._

"I appreciate it." She paused, looking at the setting sun, "I must go. I still need to finish preparing for my journey." She hesitates and then hugs him, whispering, "When we both return, we'll begin planning for the baby." She stepped back and smiled at him before turning to leave.

As they watched her go, Saphira turned to Eragon. _Ask her if she'd like to come with us. We can drop her off outside Du Weldenvarden on our way to Helgrind. It's only a few days out of our way._ Eragon nodded and ran after her.

"Arya, wait!" She stopped and faced him. "Would you like to come with us? We've planned to leave in the next day or two anyways. We can drop you off at the edge of the forest."

"Eragon, I appreciate the offer but no. I couldn't possibly-"

"Why not? It would be a lot quicker. It's not too far out of our way. Anyways, it would give us a chance to talk about-" she clapped a hand over his mouth, glancing around her anxiously.

"Don't speak so loudly." She hisses. He nods so she removes her hand, taking a step away from him.

"Please, let us take you." Arya sighs and shakes her head.

"Eragon, it wouldn't be fair to make Saphira carry three people."

_Arya, it was my idea anyways. Besides, you weigh very little. And I'll be carrying three people when we find Katrina._ Saphira reminded her.

"But it's out of your way. I'll be fine on my own. I've made this trip many times."

_It is not that far for a dragon. It's a few days out of our way, who cares?_ Arya looks between them and then sighs, defeated.

"Ask your cousin if he minds." She follows them back to the group of young men. She stands back with Saphira while Eragon crouches down next to his cousin.

"Roran, do you mind if we drop Arya off near Ellesméra before we go get Katrina? It's only a couple days out of the way." Roran looks at him curiously but nods.

"I've waited this long. A few more days won't hurt." Eragon gestures for Arya to come over.

When she gets closer, he calls out "I told you Roran wouldn't mind." She rolls her eyes slightly.

"Roran, I appreciate this greatly and I hope you are successful in getting Katrina back safely."

"Thank you." Roran quietly whispers, growing solemn at the mention of Katrina. Arya looks between him and Eragon.

"When are we leaving?"

"I'll see about getting supplies ready and we can leave in the morning." Eragon said. Arya nods and Roran looks shocked that they'll be leaving so soon.

"I'll speak to Orik about getting more food. I'll need to inform him and Nasuada about the change of plans anyways."

"Okay. I need to fetch another suit of armor for Roran. Is there anything else you need?"

"No. I'll see you in the morning."

LALALA

The next day, Arya looked over her shoulder one last time before stepping out of her tent, immediately colliding into Eragon. She took a step backwards, staring at him in shock.

"Hello…" she said slowly, looking at him confused.

"I was just coming to check on you. Roran was getting impatient."

"I'm ready." She said, throwing her pack over her shoulder and stepping around him. He kept pace beside her. He remained silent but was constantly glancing at her out of the corner of his eye as they walked. A few minutes later, they finally approached the hall where Saphira and Roran were waiting. Roran was pacing, obviously nervous. She wondered whether he was nervous about finding Katrina or flying. Eragon had told her that Roran had never ridden Saphira before so he was likely afraid to be flying. Roran greeted them with a relieved sigh.

"Ready?" he asked. Arya nodded, watching Eragon climb into the saddle. She looked at Roran and he gestured for her to mount next. She took Eragon's hand, swinging herself up behind him. She scooted forward to give Roran more room and then offered him her hand. He took it hesitantly and attempted to mount. She struggled to keep a straight face as he attempted to scramble up Saphira's side. For a moment she considered dismounting so she could help lift him up but decided against it. She didn't want to hurt his pride too badly. Saphira crouched down as low as she could, trying to make it easier for him to mount. Finally Arya sighed, hooking her leg through Eragon's to keep her in place. She leaned over, grabbing Roran's arm with both hands and hauled him up. He managed to scramble up, kicking her roughly in the leg. He mumbled an apology as she flinched slightly, gritting her teeth. She'd probably have a noticeable bruise tonight. Roran cautiously wrapped an arm around her waist, putting as much distance between them as possible. She looked over her shoulder.

"You can hold on tighter than that." She didn't want him to fall off because he was afraid to hold onto her. He nodded and swallowed nervously but didn't tighten his grip. Suddenly Saphira lunged into the air and Arya smiled, feeling Roran wrap both arms around her tightly. She loosely wrapped her arm around Eragon's waist and grabbed Roran's pants leg with her free hand to reassure herself that he wouldn't be going anywhere.

The sun was already setting when they finally decided to land for the night. Roran was still gripping her waist tightly but had loosened up a bit since they had left. Eragon spotted a clearing in the woods and Saphira began her descent. Roran immediately lost his seat and slammed into Arya, pushing her into Eragon's back. He began apologizing and tried to correct himself. A moment later she felt him slam into her again, throwing her against Eragon. She grunted as the breath was knocked out of her and then reached around, keeping him from moving again. She'd rather stay sandwiched between the two boys than be hit from behind again. Saphira landed lightly and Roran quickly scooted backwards. Roran sat behind her, clueless about how to dismount.

"Grab my waist, throw your leg over and jump down." She told him. No one could get off until Roran did. The next thing she knew, she was landing heavily on top of Roran. Eragon was doubled over laughing and Saphira was chuckling deep in her throat.

"You were supposed to let go of her when you jumped!" Eragon said, struggling to breathe. She quickly leapt to her feet and then stood back and watched Roran crawl to his feet. Eragon slid down Saphira's side and began unsaddling her, still letting out the occasional laugh. Roran was blushing, afraid to approach her. He sank to the ground a distance away, his legs unsteady from the hours of flying. She began digging through the saddlebags and finally pulled out three cups and a small pouch of crumbled nettle leaves. Eragon looked at her, confused, and she just smiled. She sat down across from Roran and began filling the cups water. She whispered "boil" and handed one of the cups to Roran. Roran cautiously took it, looking unsure.

"It's just tea. It will relax you. You seem tense." She told him, sipping her own to prove that it was okay. He glanced down at it and then cautiously tried it. Eragon came and sat beside her, pulling food out of the saddlebags. Roran was watching her curiously. She met his eyes and he glanced away before meeting her gaze again.

"You can do magic?" he finally asked. She nodded.

"All elves can."

"Couch you teach me?" he asked, curious. Eragon hesitated and then looked at her. She frowned but nodded.

"You could learn but I wouldn't risk trying. The Varden has several magicians but none are as strong as an elf or a Dragon Rider. Most can't heal a simple bruise." She's serious and forces him to meet her gaze, "Using magic will drain a person's strength. Use too much and it can kill you." Roran nodded, apparently dismissing the idea. They ate in silence. She could feel Roran's eyes on her so she looked up, raising her eyebrows.

"So you live in Ellesméra?" She nodded. She was wondering when he'd begin asking questions. He was too much like his cousin.

"When I'm not with the Varden, yes."

"How long have you been with the Varden?" he asked, sipping his tea as he waited for her reply. She looked at Eragon. She had assumed he would have brought her up when he told Roran of his adventures. She turned back to Roran, watching him over the rim of her cup with a raised eyebrow. Finally she lowered the cup and looked at him seriously.

"I've been the elves ambassador for seventy years now." She said, returning the cup to her lips. Roran began coughing, spilling tea all over himself.

"You've got to be joking!" he sputtered. She shook her head.

"Not at all."

"But…then you'd be-." She cut him off, nodding.

"I'll be a hundred and one in just over a month."

"But…you could have great-grandchildren our age!!" Roran exclaimed. Arya tilted her head, considering him for a moment.

"I suppose I could, if elves reproduced at the same rate as humans or dwarves."

"Do you have children?" he asked. He kept looking at Eragon, a mixture of disbelief and disgust written all over his face. She supposed he knew about Eragon's feelings for her and it made her a bit upset that he was so obviously disgusted by the thought. She may be over a hundred years old but she didn't age the way humans did.

"Roran, leave her alone." Eragon cut in.

"It's okay," she assured him. "And no, I don't have any children. By elf standards, I'm actually very young. My own mother was just over seven hundred when I was born. There isn't any reason for an elf my age to even consider having children." Roran just continued to stare at her, disbelieving. She was really starting to feel offended.

"But if you wanted to, could you?"

"Do you mean would it even be possible for me to get pregnant or would it be acceptable for me to?" She looked up and met Eragon's gaze before turning and staring at the ground. She plucked a single blade of grass, twirling it around between her fingers. "It is possible for me to become pregnant but it wouldn't be acceptable. I'd be risking everything by doing so. The elves have hundreds of customs that have been upheld for centuries. Because we're immortal, children are extremely rare. Only couples that have been together for centuries would even consider having a child. To have a child is the greatest honor and responsibility that can be bestowed upon any living being. It is not something to be taken lightly." She held Eragon's gaze as she repeated what she had told him long ago. His face hardened into a blank mask as he continued to stare at her.

LALALA

The night before they parted, they made camp in Du Weldenvarden. Roran had fallen asleep almost immediately after dinner and Saphira was snoring soundly, tired from flying for so long. Eragon glanced at his cousin and then his brown eyes connected with hers. He pointed in the direction away from camp. She nodded and stood up, wiping her hands against her pants, and followed him away from the camp. They settled themselves against a large tree and Eragon observed her quietly.

"How are you?" he asked, concerned. After nearly a week of flying, Roran had still not gained his balance. Every time they landed, Arya ended up jammed between them. Whenever he tried to correct himself, he only succeeded in pushing her further against Eragon's back. In addition, he'd nearly pulled her off twice when he began slipping. It was only due to her quick reflexes that they both stayed in the saddle.

"I'm all right but you may want to reconsider putting Katrina between you. If she's injured she may not appreciate being thrown around." She said, deciding not to tell him about the bruises that were rapidly spreading over her body. Every day new bruises formed over older ones. She was thankful that she healed quickly.

"Aye…I may put him in the front and strap his legs down."

"That may be a good idea." She paused, looking at him curiously, "Surely you wished to speak of something other than how to keep Roran from injuring anyone else." Eragon hesitated and then nodded.

"What you said the other night…do you really think the elves will react so badly?" Arya sighed. She had hoped to avoid this conversation but was surprised it took him this long to bring it up. She met his eyes, serious.

"Eragon, you've lived among the elves. You've met my mother. Are you so naive to think this would go over well? I have no doubt that they will react badly. I have told you several times now that a child is the greatest symbol of love between mates. Not only are we not in love, we are not even mates. And, though I may not care for the title, I am the princess. I will be judged harsher than any other elf. I will be breaking dozens of our oldest customs by doing this but I'm willing to do it. Wiol ono." _For you._

"I don't want to cause another rift between you and your mother." He admitted quietly. Arya shook her head, smiling reassuringly.

"She will be angry but I don't believe she will disown me. She did not fair well during my absence. I believe the past seventy years have impacted her enough to prevent another rift like that from occurring." Eragon met her eyes hesitantly.

"But what if she does?" Arya looked at him sadly but didn't break eye contact.

"Then we will deal with it. I have lived most my life without my mother. I don't wish to but I can survive without her." She paused, contemplating their situation. "I believe our biggest problem with be the other elves." Eragon looked at her, confused.

"But they seemed devoted to you, even when Queen Islanzadi wouldn't speak to you."

"But there is one big difference." She said softly, "When my mother and I weren't speaking, the elves did not take sides. It was a personal argument. I had done nothing wrong. This time, we'll be involving the elves directly. We just have to hope Islanzadi is not too angry. Her reaction will influence how they respond." She takes a deep breath and then smiles at him. "So I've been thinking. At least for now, I don't want anyone to know about the child, not even Nasuada. I don't want anyone pressuring him to be anything more than a normal child. He or she will be raised as a normal elf, an elf prince or princess, but that is all. I won't raise him with the sole purpose of becoming a Dragon Rider. I don't know if I even want to tell the child the reason for his being conceived. As he grows up, he's sure to have questions about why his family isn't like the other children's families. I don't know if I want to tell him…I have time to make that decision though."

"That sounds fair. If he was raised to be the next Rider, it could just lead to disappointment." Arya nodded. He was catching on.

"Exactly. I want him to have as normal a life as possible." She pauses and then says, "I've also been thinking about arrangements for the child, as well as for during my pregnancy. When we return to Ellesméra, we'll return to our separate rooms, as usual. I'm giving you permission to come visit whenever you like and I'll try to come see you more often than I did before. You still have much to learn about our race and there are still many things in Ellesméra I have yet to show you. You asked me to let you in during the pregnancy and I promise I will try."

"Thank you. And if there's anything I can do to make it easier for you, please tell me." She nodded briefly.

"For now, I just need a friend. I'll tell you if there's anything else you can do. When the baby arrives, I would like you to be there whenever it's possible. At first, the child will stay with me but as he gets older he can travel between us if he wants. You can be there as much or as little as you'd like. Just know, I won't be the only one depending on you if you say you're going to be there."

"I'll be there. I want to be there for everything." He paused, looking at her curiously. "What am I supposed to do while the baby is being born?" She stared at him, eyes wide. She hadn't been expecting that question.

"In that aspect, elves are the same as humans. The mother gives birth with the help of a few other women while the father waits outside. In this case, I may just send someone to tell you when the baby arrives." Eragon looks at her solemnly.

"What if I want to be there, be with you, when you're giving birth?" Arya stiffened. There was no way she was allowing him to see her when she was in that position. There was nothing she hated more than being weak and she knew she'd be at her most vulnerable while birthing their child. She opened her mouth to argue and then closed it, her entire body falling.

"We'll discuss that later. If the elves remain angry and are unreasonable, you may need to be there. I may need your help. Otherwise…we'll see. It will depend on how things are going between us." Though she wasn't fond of the idea, she supposed it wouldn't hurt to have him with her. As long as he behaved himself, she'd consider allowing him in the room with her. Eragon lowered his eyes, refusing to meet her gaze.

"I'm sorry for my behavior these past months." He said quietly. She smiled and laid a hand on his arm.

"I've already forgiven you." She stood up, taking his hand, and led him back towards camp, where Saphira and Roran were snoring loudly.

LALALA

The next morning, Eragon reluctantly said goodbye to Arya. He had enjoyed spending time with her again. She said goodbye to Saphira and Roran and then turned to leave. Her finger twitched slightly, asking him to follow her. They stopped a distance away and she turned to face him.

"Be careful Eragon Shadeslayer. I will see you soon."

"You be careful too. And give Oromis-ebrithil and Islanzadi Dröttning my greetings."

"I will." She paused and then said, "Roran is curious about our relationship. Tell him what you like but the child should remain a secret for now."

"I won't tell anyone without your permission" he swore in the ancient language. She nodded.

"Goodbye Eragon."

"Goodbye Arya." He whispered. He slowly walked back to where Saphira and Roran were waiting. He had a sudden urge to follow her. Ellesméra had been more of a home to him than anywhere since he had left his uncle's. He forced a smile and turned to his cousin. "Let's go find Katrina." Eragon watched the ground as they continued rising. Arya stared after them, shielding her eyes with her hand. Finally she turned, disappearing beneath the trees. Saphira turned, heading to Helgrind and leaving the forest far behind.

**I called about that conversation  
That I had with you last night  
It must have been a combination  
Of shooters and neon lights  
And I didn't really mean to say  
I've been losing it since you left  
Yeah, I may have said the words  
But they came from somewhere else**

**(Chorus)  
It was just the tequila talking  
When I told you I'm still not over you  
I get a little sentimental  
When I've had one or two  
And that tear in my eye was the salt and the lime  
Not the memory of you walking  
If I said I'm still in love with you  
It was just the tequila talking**

**I don't know what they put in Cuervo  
That got me to say those things  
Usually I wouldn't care so much  
Or make such a scene  
But seeing you there in that dress you were wearing  
Just drove me right out of my head  
So don't hold me responible  
For anything I might have said**

**(Repeat chorus)**

**If I said I'm still in love with you  
It was just the tequila talking.**

LALALA

A/n - okay, there's that. lol. Now i have a question for everyone to answer. I will be posting chapter 4 and 5 close together. They are both a lot shorter than my normal chapters. Chapter 5 is rated M (more for safety than anything. I didn't get too detailed) and that's why I broke it from chapter 4. Chapter 4, honestly, is crap. lol. I'm not lying. That's another reason why I wanna post them together. But what I wanna know, how do ya'll want me to post?

Chapter 4 tuesday, chapter 5 Friday

Chapter 4 and 5 on Friday

Chapter 4 on Friday and Chapter 5 the following Tuesday.

It's ya'lls choice. I'll post them in any combo. But I'm not gonna make you wait a week for chapter 5. I don't want ya'll thinking about chapter 4 too long. haha. I had so much trouble with it that I finally wrote it down and moved on. lol. So I'm apologizing in advance. Well, I'd better get to work on my next chapter. lol. Finals are coming up so I need to get ahead of myself again. Guess I'll be writing all weekend...and I have an essay due Thursday. Fun.

But here are my thank you's (I love looking at screen names...always makes me wanna know the story behind them). lol. But all That just makes my jaw drop. lol. But thank you for reviewing: dark-angle0104, Reidak, Zmoe Anger, Euphora, Alathema, Lord Cornelius Ravencroft, Chocoboknight155, Hazelstar, christina, SilverAurora, hurting-angel, ANGELOFTHEBLACKROSES, fAteD lOvE, Ryder Blade, punkzi, Vaapad, Glaedrz, and mystery writer5775. And I always gotta add the people who put me on their alert list, even if they aren't reviewing. :D So thanks to Aya Hinata Kitsune (I wanna know the background on this name!! lol.), Dronzer, GundamWingFanatic90, SnowChika, and snowfairy11730. lol. And then for the people who've put me on their favorites but not reviewed I have: Firelover123, JakeJ, and sunqueen42. Ok, so how many people are laughing at me for typing this all out? raises hand lol. Pitiful but I feel the need to do it anyways...although I think I may faint if any more people join this lovely fanbase. haha. There are tooooo many numbers!! lol. I'm not a numbers person. lol.


	4. I will always return

There You'll Be

There You'll Be

Chapter Four – I will always return

A/n – so here is my lovely, terrible chapter. haha. I was at a complete loss of what to do with it. Nothing in this chapter is part of my summary. lol. I finally just scribbled it down and decided to move on. Hence the reason I'm posting the next chapter this week too. :p So I apologize...this is definately not my best work. :( But as I said, next chapter is rated M, for safety more than anything. But yay!! Finally moving past all the damn set-up stuff and into the fun parts!! :D So review please...or maybe just wait til chapter 5 to review. haha. I decided to go ahead and post 4 today and 5 Friday. Most the reviews just said "soon" or didn't care. I figure this way, those that wanted both on Friday can just wait til Friday to read but the rest of ya'll can suffer through this now. lol. Okay...maybe it's not quite as bad as I'm making it out to be but I'm still a bit embarressed of it. The ending is somewhat decent...beginning is rushed. I DO like how chapter 5 turned out though!!

LALALA

**I hear the wind call your name  
It calls me back home again  
It sparks up the fire - a flame that still burns  
Oh it's to you I'll always return  
I still feel your breath on my skin  
I hear your voice deep within  
The sound of my lover - a feeling so strong  
It's to you - I'll always belong**

**Now I know it's true  
My every road leads to you  
And in the hour of darkness darlin'  
Your light gets me through**

**Wanna swim in your river - be warmed by your sun  
Bathe in your waters - cos you are the one  
I can't stand the distance - I can't dream alone  
I can't wait to see you - Ya I'm on my way home**

**Oh I hear the wind call your name  
The sound that leads me home again  
It sparks up the fire - a flame that still burns  
Oh, it's to you - I will always return**

Three weeks later, they were finally nearing Aberon. The rescue had gone relatively well. In their haste, they had completely forgotten Katrina's father had been imprisoned as well. The man had obviously taken the worst of the torture to protect his daughter. His malnourished body was covered in bloody lashes while Katrina appeared to be in better shape. Sloan had been quiet the whole trip, never saying a word. He simply followed along, never letting his daughter out of his sight. Roran and Katrina didn't bring up their engagement again, quickly having decided to wait until Surda to mention it to him. Roran was now equal with all other men. All were homeless and no one had money. Sloan had no good reason to protest the marriage anymore. They supposed he had realized that because he was actually being civil to Roran.

After making camp for the night, Eragon quietly walked away from the others. He had been growing more secluded every day, retreating into his own thoughts. He was growing anxious to see Arya again but his nerves were beginning to get the better of him. Arya would be arriving in Aberon soon after them, if she was not already there. She had told him that they'd begin planning for their baby as soon as they were back. His stomach clenched slightly every time he thought of it. After all they had been through, all the pain, all the heartache; it was only a matter of days now until she'd be carrying his child. As excited as he was, he couldn't help but feel nervous. He was young, even by human standards, and soon he'd have a child. He didn't want to let Arya down but he wasn't sure how to raise a child, especially an elf child. On top of everything, he was still required to face both Murtagh and Galbatorix to end the war. He was getting rather stressed by it all. He felt Saphira walk up behind him, gently touching him with her nose.

She could sense the tension flowing off him again. She settled herself beside him and he laid back against her, taking comfort from her presence. Unlike his cousin, she didn't ask if he was okay. She already knew. They sat together in silence, listening to the quiet chirping of the crickets in the dark.

The next morning, they finally finished the final stretch of their journey. They landed in the middle of a large crowd. As he gazed out over the crowd, he recognized the excited faces of the Carvahall refugees and the curious Varden soldiers. He was distantly aware of men and women approaching them, congratulating them on their success, slapping Sloan on the back and hugging Katrina. Eragon kept looking for Arya, wondering if she was back yet. He excused himself, deciding to go report back to Nasuada. He was pointed in the direction of Nasuada's chambers and hurriedly made his way there. Reaching the doors, he was surprised to find them still being guarded by two Kull. They stepped aside just enough to let him through and he walked inside. Nasuada was sitting behind her desk, scribbling frantically. She looked up and smiled when she saw him. She edged around the table and hugged him.

"Were you successful?" she asked.

"Aye. Katrina is doing well. She's still weak but she should recover fine. Her father was imprisoned at the same place so he's here as well. He's in a bit worse shape than her but he'll be fine as well."

"That is good news." Eragon nodded.

"How is the Varden?"

"We are settling in. It is difficult to find places for all our new arrivals. One of the men has a small farm just outside the city where his family is living. All the families who traveled from Carvahall are staying there until we can find a better place for them. The men are in training and they're improving rapidly. The Kull have wished to stay with the Varden as well. They want revenge on Galbatorix and hope to enter a peace treaty once the war is finished. Most of them are stationed near Surda's border though some of them are acting as guards here and as messengers between us and the other Kull." Eragon hesitated, wondering whether he should ask about Arya.

"Nasuada, has Arya returned yet?" Nasuada nodded.

"Yesterday. I believe she'll wish to speak with you."

Eragon left a few minutes later. She hadn't given him any new assignments and he was glad. He would be leaving soon anyways. He was growing nervous about seeing Arya but was excited as well. He missed Ellesméra. It had felt like his home and he couldn't wait to return.

LALALA

Later that afternoon Eragon and several of the other boys had taken the children down to the pond for the day to relax. Eragon and Roran were sitting up in the branches of a tree overlooking the water. Below them, Saphira was gliding through the water. Several children were hanging onto her tail, being pulled through the water, and even more were sitting on top of her. Baldor and Albriech were 'sword fighting' with several of the younger boys, using sticks they had broken off the trees.

Roran tapped Eragon's shoulder and then points towards the pond. A small, rocky cliff stuck out over the water. Arya was standing at the edge of it, surveying the area. Eragon noted that she seemed tense. After a moment, he realized that she was looking for him and felt his stomach clench nervously. Beside him, Roran was grinning mischievously.

"Can she swim?" Roran asked, smirking. Eragon nodded.

"I think so." When Roran's grin widened, he began to catch on. "You do realize she could, and probably would, kill us."

"I know." Roran said, still grinning. Eragon is quiet for a moment, trying to think up a plan.

"We'll need to move quick. She's strong enough to fight us off if she realizes what we're doing." After going over the rules, they slowly slid down the backside of the tree. The area around the pond was heavily wooded so they were able to sneak around easily. Arya was still standing at the edge of the cliff, her hands on her hips, as she kept looking for Eragon. Saphira was gliding through the water, covered in giggling children, but Eragon was nowhere to be seen. She sighed again. She had told him she'd be coming to find him as soon as she got back but he was nowhere to be found. She continued surveying the area, not noticing the two boys sneaking up behind her. Once they were a few feet away, they let out a childish battle cry and began running at her. She turned around and saw them running towards her. She stiffened, realizing what they were thinking.

"Eragon…" she warned, taking a step backwards. Eragon and Roran quickly lifted her off her feet and jumped off the cliff. Arya's arm wrapped around Eragon neck and she clung to him as they fall. They hit the cool water with a huge splash and Arya came up sputtering. Eragon and Roran were laughing uncontrollably beside her. She went under again, letting the water push her hair back. Eragon pushed his hair out of his eyes and smiled cheekily. She splashed him playfully and started swimming for the shoreline and he followed along. She sat down on one of the large rocks and pulled her boots off, setting them out to dry. Eragon sat down in the sand beside her and waited for her to speak. She moved to sit beside him and sighed, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"I talked to Oromis and Glaedr." She paused, "He's agreed to do it as long as you finish your training first." She looked up at him and lifted her eyebrows. He passed the message on to Saphira. _Tell her that I agree to his condition. It is fairly reasonable._

"She thinks that's reasonable." Arya smiled.

"I thought you'd think so." She hesitated and then lowered her voice, "I managed to glance at a few books in the library." Eragon's head snapped up.

"And?" She glanced around her and then spoke in a hushed voice.

"Once I'm pregnant, I think it'd be best if we leave within two weeks. We'd be back in Ellesméra before I begin having any noticeable symptoms. I want to try to ease into informing them of the pregnancy rather than show up and immediately announcing it. The very early weeks aren't much different than if I wasn't pregnant. If anything, I may tire more easily and get some light cramping, nothing I can't handle. The sickness begins some time after that and varies depending on the elf. If I have any sickness at all, it shouldn't begin until we're near Ellesméra but I'll deal with it if it begins earlier." She sighed, frowing. "That was all I managed to find out. I was caught fairly quickly. If Faye noticed what I was reading she didn't say anything but I didn't want to risk getting caught again. I'll finish reading when we reach Ellesméra. I wrote down all the books I found, as well as any information I thought would be helpful." She pauses and then speaks normally again, "So, how did everything go in Helgrind?"

"Katrina is doing okay. She's a bit weak but nothing too terrible. Her father is safe too. He was beaten worse than her but he'll be fine. I managed to kill one of the Lethrblaka and Ra'zac. The other pair got away but they're both injured. The Ra'zac is missing an arm and the Lethrblaka has a torn wing."

"You did well then." She said happily. There's an awkward pause and then she leaned closer to him, whispering in his ear, "When everyone has gone to bed, come by my room. There's a certain time frame where I'll be most likely to conceive. I'm still counting out the days but we need to decide when to do this." Eragon nodded.

She smiled at him and then lay down, shutting her eyes. He sat beside her for awhile, content to just be near her. Finally he stood up. He glanced at her and smiled before running towards the water. She propped herself up on her arms and watched him. He disappeared underwater for a moment before jumping up behind one of the smaller boys. She smiled to herself as she watched him. He was spinning in circles in the shallow water, one child in his arms and another on his back. She could hear the giggling screams of the two boys, joining in with Eragon's deep laughter. Suddenly he fell over sideways, taking the two squealing kids with him. _He'll be a good father,_ She thought to herself. For the next half hour, she sat on the shore and watched him intently. Finally she stood up and walked away, carrying her boots in her hands, faintly aware of Eragon staring after her.

LALALA

A/n – okay, told you it would be short. But chapter 5 will be up on Friday as soon as I wake up!! And my lovely reviewers...Vaapad, Druska41, dark-angle0104., SilverAurora, ANGELOFTHEBLACKROSES, mystery writer5775, Ryder Blade, Reidak, Alathema, Hazelstar, Jasmine of the Forge, Kiwikiss, SnowChika (haha, happy?), christina, and stephen kirton. Thank you all soooo much for the reviews. lol.

And now for the favorites but didn't review...(by the way, I'm not trying to guilt you into reviewing. lol. I just don't wanna leave anyone out!)...Firelover123, JakeJ, sunqueen42, Glaedrz, GundamWingFanatic90, fAteD lOvE, and hurting-angel

And I always gotta add the people who put me on their alert list, even if they aren't reviewing. :D So thanks to Aya Hinata Kitsune (I still wanna know the background on this name!! lol.), Dronzer, GundamWingFanatic90, snowfairy11730, Aryawen, Chocoboknight155, Glaedrz, Lord Cornelius Ravencroft, bookworm331, fAteD lOvE, littleShiningStar, and punzki.

Okay, think that's all. Haha. My eyes hurt from going back and forth so many times. lol. And the list just keeps getting longer and longer to type out...not that I don't appreciate it!! haha. So until Friday I guess. Now on to finish the essay due Thursday...or rather to start it. haha.


	5. Rated M

There You'll Be

There You'll Be

Chapter 5

A/n – haha. So welcome to my "good chapter." I am actually very pleased with how this turned out, especially since it's the first sex scene I've written. lol. It is not extremely detailed and focuses more on other details but I kinda like how it turned out. But anyways, thank you to every one who reviewed. I was about to die when I saw how many of the reviews were people I apparently guilted into reviewing. haha. I honestly did not mean to. lol. Anyways, a couple reviews I'd like to answer on here. I had several comments about how I am actually keeping Arya in character. Well...I am trying. haha. I am really good at remembering details and I sat down with the book one day and wrote out this long list of situations and how Arya reacted to them. haha. I am TRYING to keep that in mind when I'm writing...I may stray a little bit but hey, I'm not perfect. haha. I really do try to keep from getting too OOC though. And yes, I will admit...I am too modest. haha. I don't even like turning in essays for my classes (I've never gotten lower than an A so I don't know why...I'm just really uncomfortable letting people read anything I write). lol. I think it's good I decided not to minor in journalism...But anyways, my comments are in bold.

Midnight - Great i cant wait till you post the 5th chapter. This is the best fic i've read. it's probably going to be in the book. im saying that because it makes sense most of the Dragon Riders are children of Dragon riders. i can totaly see Arya offering to do this. Please have Arya and Eragon get together Please. i be waching for an update. **Ay yi yi...thank you for the vote of confidence but I think I would pass out if I ever saw this actually happen in the book!! haha. Hmm...maybe as an epilogue...like in the future they have a kid who becomes a Dragon Rider...I'm getting off topic. I really do have an overactive imagination. I think I'm ADD too...never been diagnosed but it wouldn't surprise me. haha. But don't worry, this is an Arya/Eragon pairing...it's just gonna take awhile for them to get together. Plenty of fluff beforehand though!! haha.**

Lord Cornelius Ravencroft - I noticed that i was on your list and apologize for not reviewing. **No one needs to apologize!! I'm not doing the lists to guilt anyone into reviewing. I know I don't review every time either! **I have found this story interesting and am wondering were it will go as far as charactor developement. **haha. So am I...just kidding. No, I have this planned out pretty well. I do have Arya's life history planned out, as well as a few characters to kinda help push her along. Wacky hormones help a lot too. haha. **I would suggest that after Arya concieves that Eragon and Arya get into an argument and that she reveals something about her past that she never would have revealed other wise. **Apparently we're on the same wave length. It's already written, in detail, in my summary. haha. It's a full two and a half pages with no spacing and still needs a lot more description...and dialogue. It won't be for awhile but hormonal Arya + insecure Eragon equals one big fight and very long discussion. haha. I'll probably be throwing in several fights but that's the big one I have planned out. **Also i think it is time to have Roran and Katrina tie the knot. **It's actually gonna be brought up in the next chapter...aka "tomorrow". **And then we need a chapter about Murtagh and see what he has been up to. **I am really gonna try to figure out how to do this. I pretty much had free reign with Thorn and I've got his story line and personality all planned out. I'm a bit reluctant to show him too much before his big debut though...we'll see what happens.**

Also, I have a favor to ask ya'll. I am willing to take any suggestions anyone has. I have this planned out but I do have a lotta blanks to fill in. This is not gonna be a short story. I'm not gonna jump from "I'm pregnant" to "the baby was born blah blah blah". That's one thing that ticks me off. If your gonna write a baby story, do it right. No skipping entire months at a time. Anyways sorry...I just found one of those stories in another section and it annoyed me so much. lol. Anyways, one more thing. Anyone wanna send me a list of elf names? haha. I REFUSE to use a ton of modern day names...a handful is okay (like Elain and Katrina...) but I want names to fit the "world". lol. I did look up some but I want more. :D So if anyone wants to send me names, either by review or by email, please do. :D I want mostly elf names but a handful of modern names is fine too (as long as they're something that could actually be used in the books). Well, thanks. Review please!

And this chapter is dedicated to Laine Ashker and Frodo Baggins. They were injured in the Rolex on Monday. They apparently crashed through a jump and Frodo fell and landed on top of her. Laine is in critical condition and Frodo was euthanized due to a severe lung injury and fracture at the base of his skull. I'm a horse person...I always feel sad when stuff like this happens. RIP Frodo Baggins. Btw...Frodo Baggins was the horse in the Lord of the Rings movie, the one the Dark Rider was on when he stopped on the bridge above the hobbits. But okay...I bet I lost half of you at the first paragraph. lol. So review please.

Oh, and last but definately not least. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEEEE!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! lol. My birthday is on Sunday. Now that I actually remember it's almost my b-day I'm excited!! lol. But I really need to learn to control myself with these a/n's. lol.

LALALA

Late that night, Eragon nervously made his way down the hall to Arya's room. He was feeling jumpy. It felt wrong to be sneaking into her room in the middle of the night. Every time he'd hear a noise he'd spin around, blushing, and expect to see someone standing behind him. He finally stopped outside her door. He hesitated and then knocked. She called for him to come in so he opened the door. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, dressed in a soft tunic and loose pants. She gave him a shaky smile and he realized she was just as nervous as him. He sat down in the chair beside her bed. For a long moment, neither of them said anything. Finally Arya let out a deep breath and looked up at him. Her green eyes were guarded, a hint of fear in them.

"So, um, I figured out what days I'd have the best chance of conceiving" She said quietly, sounding slightly nervous. He looked at her curiously and she looked away, letting out a deep breath. "Tonight" She whispered. Eragon was taken aback. _Now? She wants to do this now…_

"Now?" His voice sounded hoarse. He wasn't expecting her to jump straight into bed as soon as they got back.

"Why not? We did want to be pregnant before we left for Ellesméra. If not tonight, it'd probably be several weeks before we have another chance like this" She pauses and then quietly admits, "And I'd like to just get this first time over with."

"First time?" _What does she mean first time? She's talking as if this will happen more than once._

"Eragon, there is a chance I won't get pregnant the first time. If I don't then obviously there will be a second time. Maybe even a third or fourth time." She snapped. She wrapped her arms around her body as she glared at him. Eragon nodded, not wanting to upset her anymore. Both of them sit there nervously, neither wanting to make the first move. Eragon laughs hoarsely, causing Arya to look up, dismayed.

"What could possibly be so funny?" She only succeeds in making Eragon laugh harder. He shakes his head, trying to find words.

"I've never seen you so uncomfortable. It's kind of funny." Arya doesn't appear to find as much humor in the fact.

"Well I've never exactly been in this situation before." She growls.

"Yeah" he agrees. It was a bit nerve-wracking. He hesitates and then admits, blushing, "Arya…I've never done this before." She lowers her eyes.

"That makes two of us then." Eragon looks up at her, surprised. She smiles at the shocked look on his face. "What makes you think I had?"

"I just…thought you would have at some point." She just shakes her head, smiling slightly.

"No. Never." Eragon nodded uncertainly.

"But...you had a mate...how did-" she cut him off, glaring slightly.

"We just never did! Okay?" she said, sounding somewhat upset. Eragon nodded and let it drop. He was curious but she obviously wasn't willing to take the subject any further. He stayed silent, giving her a moment to relax.

"When will you know if it worked?" he finally asked.

"It shouldn't take too long…I'll let you know." Eragon nodded. He sat there a moment longer, gathering his courage, and then stood up. He knew she wasn't willing to make the first move.

"So…I guess we can just take this slow?" he half stated, half asked. Arya nodded and then stood up as well. She cautiously stepped closer, taking his hands in hers. She stared down at them for a moment and then met his gaze. He leaned in, hesitating before pressing his lips against hers. She responded hesitantly at first before relaxing into him. Eragon's head was spinning. He couldn't believe he was actually kissing her and she was kissing him back. He felt her move closer as she released his hands, lightly resting her arms around his neck. He moved his hands to her hips but held them there for fear of pushing her too far.

It didn't take long for Arya to relax into him, her mouth moving feverishly against his. For a brief moment he wondered if she was knew who she was kissing or was she thinking about Faolin? All thoughts left him as he felt her nip lightly at his lower lip, asking for entrance. He eagerly opened his mouth, letting her tongue slide against his. They slowly start backing towards the bed. When Arya's legs hit the side, she slowly laid back, pulling him with her. She spread her legs, allowing him to rest between them. Eragon pulled back and looked down at her. She opened her eyes, holding his gaze.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He had to ask. He didn't want her to regret this later. Arya only rolled her eyes, pulling him back down. Several minutes later, Arya's hands traveled to the hem of his shirt. She fumbled with the edges for a moment and then broke away from the kissing and quickly pulled the shirt over his head. He stared at her in shock.

"I thought you didn't-" He started to say, only to be cut off.

"I changed my mind." She pulled him back down to capture his lips once again. She surprised him then, flipping them over so she was on top. She smiled briefly and then leaned down, brushing her lips against his. He can feel her smiling against him. She slowly moves away from his mouth, planting kisses on every inch of skin she could find. She nipped him lightly before settling in at the base of his neck. He's got to admit, he's surprised. For the second time, he wonders if she realizes who she's with but then she pulls back, looking down at him briefly before moving back to his lips. Eragon's hands began slipping up her back, taking her shirt with them. He paused and then decided to rid her of the shirt altogether. Her hands joined his as she sat up and quickly pulled the shirt over her head. Eragon's breath caught in his throat as he stared at her. She started blushing slightly but didn't attempt to cover herself. His hand moved up to trace the tattoo on her shoulder. She briefly regretted telling him what the tattoo meant and hoped it wouldn't lead to a long discussion. She leaned down, kissing him to distract him from those thoughts. She pulled back slightly.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing." She whispered. Grinning mischievously, Eragon gripped her waist and flipped them over again. She let out a squeak of surprise and he silenced it with a kiss. Eragon was growing more aroused with every passing second. He shifted uncomfortably as his pants began feeling restrictive. He felt Arya smile against him and then he gasped, feeling her hands slip into the band of his trousers. He froze, suppressing a groan as she worked to unbutton them. She pushed them down, using her feet to get them off him completely, before moving to her own. His hands eagerly joined her own, hurriedly pushing them off her. Finally there is nothing left between them. He felt Arya shift and his erection presses between her thighs. He lifted himself up on his arms, gazing down at her. She was blushing but didn't pull away. He pressed himself against her again, watching to see her reaction. He was slightly surprised when her hips rose to meet his. She leaned up, capturing his lips with her own before laying back down, bringing him with her. She shifted against him again, letting him know that she's ready. He placed himself at her entrance and then looked down at her.

"Go slow." She whispers. She tightens her grip on his back as he slides in. It's a new, rather painful, sensation. She shuts her eyes, trying to ignore the painful stretching to accommodate him. She presses her face against his shoulder and, when he breaks through her barrier, nips him lightly. She wasn't used to that sort of pain. He halts his intrusion and looks at her, concerned.

"I'm okay." She tells him. It's not a complete lie. It's not the worst pain she's ever been in. It's mostly just uncomfortable. He begins thrusting into her again and she bites her bottom lip. Okay, very uncomfortable. He notices it and stops again. "It's just uncomfortable." She tells him softly, urging him to continue. At this point, she just wants him to finish. He kisses her again, trying to distract her from her discomfort. She has to admit, the whole act is kind of awkward since neither know what they're doing. The pain has lessened to a dull ache but it's still uncomfortable for her and she begins to realize how lucky she was not to have been raped in Gilead. There's no doubt…those men would not have been gentle with her. And then finally Eragon is finished. He tenses above her, coating her insides with the sticky fluid, before collapsing on top of her. His face is pressed into her shoulder, sweat dripping from his forehead, his breathing heavy. He lays, spent, on top of her for a moment. She quietly runs her hand up and down his back as he struggles to catch his breath. She wonders if she's conceived this time and then wonders whether she even wants to. She had heard that it got better after the first time and was tempted to find out. But then she thought about Eragon and his feelings for her. It would probably be simpler if she conceived this time and then they went back to their normal routine. Eragon finally props himself up and slowly slides out of her. She's got off guard and hisses quietly. Eragon automatically looks down and she sees his features soften.

"You're bleeding." He says softly. She smiles halfheartedly at his concern.

"It's normal for the first time." Eragon nods, reaching down to pull on his pants. She briefly wonders if he's leaving already. She hadn't expected him to. As he walks out, she notices his shirt lying near the bed. She leans down and picks it up. As she slips it on, she realizes how much larger than her he is. The shirt seems to swallow her petite form but she doesn't care. No one would see her anyways. A moment later, Eragon walks back into the room carrying a large bowl filled with water. She hears him mutter the words to heat it before he sets it on the table by her bed. Without saying a word, he dips a rag into the warm water. He sits beside her and pauses. She doesn't say a word but looks up, meeting his dark brown eyes. He cautiously begins cleaning the blood off her thighs, glancing up at her every few seconds. Once she's cleaned up, he gets up and drops the rag into the bowl. Then he just stands there, staring at her, unsure of what to do next. He looks uncomfortable. Arya shakes her head, laughing softly.

"Are you just going to stand there?" He clearly doesn't know what to do so she smiles comfortingly, "Eragon, after what just happened, I think it's okay if we share a bed for the night." She takes his hand, pulling him towards the bed. She didn't want him to leave. She kept telling herself that she didn't want anyone to catch him sneaking out of her room in the middle of the night but, in all honesty, she just didn't want to be alone. She wanted him to stay with her. "Come on, I'm tired." Eragon cautiously lays down behind her and she leans back against him, sighing. She holds his hand loosely and her thumb traces random patterns over the back of it. She slowly begins drifting off to sleep.

"Thank you." Eragon whispers. She rolls over to face him. She smiles slightly and then leans up and kisses him briefly. She knew she'd regret it later but, for the moment, she didn't want to fight it. He opens his mouth to say something but she stops him, pressing a finger against his lips. She shakes her head.

"No." She removes her hand and lays her head against his arm.

"Do you think it worked?" he asked quietly. She smiled slightly.

"I don't know. We'll have to wait and see." She sighs against him and drifts off to sleep, feeling his hand slowly running up and down her back.

LALALA

A/n – okay, how the heck did I manage to completely switch tenses? haha. Oh well, that's what I get for writing my summary in present tense and the story in past tense. haha. And I repeat for people who didn't finish my a/n...I will take suggestions. I'm also looking for more elf names so if ya'll wanna send me a list of names that'd be great. :D Give me more time to write rather than sit here googling elf-y sounding names. haha. Review please. Okay...and I can't put my thanks yous in because my computer is screwing up...it won't go to a new line and that bugs me. Well, thank you to everyone...ah, it worked. Okay. Lemme try again...and now my computers not typing...I give up


	6. Chapter 6

There You'll Be

There You'll Be

Chapter 6

A/n – okay, so this is fun. Lol. This is exactly why I HATE rereading my chapters…as of 10 pm Wednesday night, I have just decided to completely redo this one in time to post it Friday morning. Haha. And I still haven't even started packing up my room and I have to have that done by Friday too!! Oh, and I have finals tomorrow. Haha. But anyways, YAY!! We're finally getting somewhere in this story. Okay, but to bring up a few comments people have made. First of all, no, this story is NOT going to be all about sex. The whole story would be rated M if it was. :p haha. And to be honest, while I did like the way chapter 5 turned out, it did have it's problems and it was awkward to write. I actually wanted to skip the whole thing but it just didn't play out the way I wanted to. But that's what I'll be doing if I add anymore of those scenes to this…the scene will fade out. Also I got a couple comments about it being Arya's first time and that not being realistic. I have that planned out. I wouldn't have thrown that in without a good reason. The details behind Arya and Faolin's relationship will come out eventually and everything will make sense in the end. If it REALLY bugs you (and you don't mind having all the fun ruined), pm me. I'll letcha know where I'm taking that (although it's still in the draft phase so it could change by the time I bring it up…wouldn't change too much though). Anyways, on with the show.

LALALALA

Arya sighed contentedly as she slowly felt herself waking up. She snuggled further under the blankets, feeling no desire to get out of the bed. She hadn't slept so well in years. She kept her eyes closed, intending to just lay there for a few more hours. No one would be awake anyways so she wouldn't be needed any time soon. Just as she was getting comfortable, a weight landed across her back. Her eyes snapped open as the memories of the night before came rushing back to her. She quickly shut her eyes again. She lay there for a moment and then opened one and cautiously looked beside her. Her body tensed as she realized that the pillow she'd been hugging was actually the half-naked Dragon Rider. She cautiously scooted away and rolled onto her back, easing his limp arm off her. She slid out from under the covers, hoping to getting away unnoticed. She froze when she heard a low groan behind her. She kept staring straight ahead, too embarrassed to look at him. She'd lost all control the night before and she was ashamed to admit it. She'd set boundaries between them for a reason but they'd all come crashing down the moment his lips touched hers. She silently swore never to let it happen again. They would never be able to have a successful relationship and she couldn't afford to give him hope. She felt him move beside her and turned to face him, offering him a weak smile. He reached out to touch her and then hesitated, moving his hand back to his side.

"You don't regret this, right?" he asked, his voice still gruff from sleep. She shook her head slightly.

"No." She didn't regret it. She only regretted her actions. He nodded slowly and she let out a breath and stood up. She ignored the slight aching, evidence of the previous night's activities, and then paused and looked back at him. She was still dressed only in his tunic but didn't want to change in front of him. It's true; he'd seen her completely unclothed the night before but it seemed awkward and wrong in the morning light. Eragon seemed to understand and turned to face the wall. She quickly changed back into her own clothes and then cautiously approached him. She laid a hand on his shoulder and smiled slightly when he jumped. Apparently he was as uncomfortable with the situation as her. He looked up at her and she smiled weakly.

"I'll come find you when I know." He nodded his acceptance and she hesitated, watching him, before walking out the door without a second glance.

LALALA

A few hours later, Arya was sitting alone, looking over hundreds of papers that Nasuada had given her. She was grumpy. Looking after the Varden was not her job so she didn't see why Nasuada was making her look through page after page of complaints. She angrily scribbled her response beside every offense. It was ridiculous. She didn't care who had stolen what or who wished to be placed where but Nasuada was the leader of the Varden and she was under her command. If Nasuada wanted her to waste hours looking over worthless complaints, then that's what she'd do. She was so absorbed in her work that she didn't notice Eragon stick his head in the door.

"Hello?" he called out, sounding somewhat nervous. Her head snapped up and she froze. She forced herself to relax. She couldn't keep acting so nervous around him. She looked at him curiously, wondering what he was doing there.

"Did you need something? Perhaps you wished to add a complaint to this worthless mess." She grumbled, dropping the stack onto the table and letting them scatter in every direction.

"I guess it depends on what you consider a complaint. What are you doing?" he asked, cautiously approaching her.

"Nasuada asked me to sort through these and add my opinion. I don't know what she's thinking. I did not join the Varden to solve all their petty little problems." She sighed, calming down, "So, did you need something?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something. I know you wanted to return to Ellesméra sometime in the next two weeks but I was wondering if we could wait a few more weeks." She looked at him, eyebrows lifted. "Roran and Katrina are getting married in four weeks and I was hoping I could be there." Arya sighed heavily but nodded, gathering the scattered paperwork.

"I wish you would have told me before last night but I'm not going to make you miss your cousin's wedding. We'll leave after the wedding." Eragon smiled brightly.

"I appreciate it." Arya nodded, slowly tuning him out. "I'll let you get back to work." Arya rolled her eyes as she straightened the papers. As soon as he was out the door, she sighed heavily and rested her head in her hands. She knew it was only a matter of weeks before her body would begin changing and the sickness would set in. She had hoped to be home before that but luck didn't appear to be on her side this time. She sighed again and looked down at her stomach. She'd felt strange for most the day. She didn't feel bad, just different. For the hundredth time that day, she wondered if she could be pregnant. Everything she'd read said it shouldn't take more than a couple days to find out but she didn't know what she was looking for. Finally she shook her head, clearing her thoughts, and turned back to the paperwork.

LALALALA

That evening, Katrina slowly made her way back to her tent. She'd spent the entire day helping Elain and Horst prepare for the birth of their third child. The baby was due any time in the next couple weeks and there was still a lot to do. She paused, hearing a heated debate going on inside one of the tents. Two women were arguing loudly and she cautiously stood back, watching their shadows play off the tent. A moment later the flap was thrown aside and the dark-skinned leader of the Varden stormed out, followed closely by a woman she didn't recognize. She caught a glimpse of the woman's angled features and realized this must be Arya. During the trip to Surda, Eragon had reluctantly revealed his troubled relationship with the elf. It only took a glance to realize why Eragon was attracted to her…why any man would be attracted to her. She was flawless. The elf's jet black hair whipped around angrily in the wind as she strode out of the camp. Katrina hesitated, watching the elf's retreating form, before deciding to follow her. She was concerned about whatever Nasuada and Arya had been arguing about so angrily but she also recognized the opportunity to meet the woman who had stolen her friend's heart.

She cautiously followed along, keeping her distance at first. She was led down a steep wooded trail. When she stumbled, the elf spun around, her hand coming to rest on the hilt of the slender sword that hung at her waist. Katrina hurriedly jumped behind a tree, unsure of why she was hiding. Arya glanced around briefly before turning and continuing on her way. A few minutes later, the trail ended beside a large, crystal clear pond. She spotted Arya sitting down by the waters edge. Her boots lay discarded beside her and she let her feet dangle in the water as she stared out into the distance. Katrina slowly made her way down to her and sat beside her. When Arya faced her, she smiled hesitantly.

"I'm Katrina." The elf observed her quietly for a moment and then nodded.

"Arya." She replied, turning to stare across the water once again. Katrina stayed silent, unsure what to say. Suddenly, following the elf didn't seem like such a good idea. Roran had been right. Arya's silent demeanor was intimidating.

"I heard you arguing with Lady Nasuada…" she said cautiously, unsure if she was overstepping some unstated boundary. Arya turned and looked at her.

"Oh?" Arya lifted an eyebrow, making Katrina squirm uncomfortably.

"I…I just wanted to make sure everything was all right." She said hesitantly. Arya turned back around and, for a moment, it seemed like she had nothing to say on the subject. Katrina bit her lip and watched her, wondering if she should just leave.

"When Eragon goes back to Ellesméra, I'll be going along as well." Arya finally said. "I only just returned so Nasuada did not understand why I must leave again so soon. She wishes for me to stay. I wish to leave. She wasn't happy that she couldn't convince me otherwise." She said flatly. Katrina looked at her curiously.

"Why are you leaving?" Arya's green eyes never blinked as she stared at her, daring her to push too far.

"I have personal matters to attend to." She said, successfully dropping the subject. For several long minutes, they sat in silence. Every once in awhile, Katrina would glance over at the solemn elf. Arya sighed. "How much did Eragon tell you?" Katrina looked shocked for a moment and then slightly guilty.

"Not much." Arya looked at her and silently pressed for more information. "He just said that he made a fool of himself by trying to pursue you." She grew more curious when Arya looked relieved.

"He said nothing else?" Katrina shook her head, wondering what Arya was hiding.

"No…" she said slowly. "Why?" Arya shook her head.

"I just…thought he might have." She paused and then looked at Katrina. "I'm not trying to hurt him." She said softly. Katrina smiled reassuringly.

"I think he knows that." Arya shut her eyes, shaking her head.

"I have told him time and time again. We are not suitable for one another. He just refuses to see it." Katrina frowned slightly, noticing how upset Arya seemed by it, but didn't say anything. After a moment, Arya looked back at her, looking slightly concerned. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well."

"You were lucky. The Ra'zac are not known for keeping their prisoners alive for long."

"I suppose we were lucky." She said, falling back into an uncomfortable silence. She struggled to find some topic they could talk about but wasn't very successful. "Roran and I are getting married." She finally said, deciding to keep the conversation on herself rather than pushing Arya for information. Arya nodded.

"Eragon told me this morning. Congratulations."

"Will you still be here?" Arya looked curious and nodded.

"Eragon wished to attend so we'll be staying."

"Then you should come too, at least to the after party." Arya hesitated before answering.

"I'll think about it." Katrina smiled. That was probably the best answer she'd be able to get out of her.

"Just let me know, okay?" Katrina said, standing up. Arya nodded. "Well…I'll see you later?"

"Perhaps."

"It was nice meeting you" Katrina called over her shoulder. Arya remained silent, letting her mind drift back to her unborn child. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to tell Eragon now or wait until she was certain of the child's existence. She sat there for a moment longer before deciding to head back to her room to think it over. She heard someone call her name and turned around, freezing instantly. Elain was slowly waddling towards her. Her eyes drifted down to the woman's swollen abdomen and she unconsciously flinched. In a matter of months, she'd also be heavy with child. The thought of waddling around, heavily pregnant, did not exactly appeal to her. Elain looked at her curiously but didn't comment on her reaction.

"Have you seen either of my boys or Eragon?" Arya shook her head, trying to keep her eyes on the woman's face.

"No, I haven't."

"Well, if you see them, let them know I need some help down at the house." Arya nodded, hurrying off before Elain could say anything else. A few minutes later, she shut herself in her room. She leaned back against the door and slowly moved her hand to her stomach. This was really happening. There was no going back now and it was beginning to scare her. She shut her eyes and tried to picture herself several months from now. She wasn't sure she liked the image she got but there was nothing she could do about it now. Her belly would soon begin swelling as Eragon's child grew within her. She wondered if she'd become as awkward and clumsy as Elain in the late stages of pregnancy. She bit her lip and looked back down at her flat stomach. She hadn't really considered the changes her body would be going through. When she'd agreed to this, she'd been focusing more on what would happen after the child was born. She sighed. She liked the way her body looked. She'd always been thin so she wasn't sure how well she'd cope with having a large, swollen belly. Would she ever get her body back? She knew that a human's body would always be different after a child but she wasn't sure about elves. She couldn't remember ever seeing an elf before and after they'd had a child. She began pacing back and forth between the bed and the door. She was beginning to wonder whether she'd made the right decision when she'd agreed to have Eragon's child. She had thought it through. She'd been ready for this but now she was beginning to doubt herself. She wasn't a motherly person. Before Eragon had come along she'd never even entertained the prospect of motherhood. Her whole life had been devoted to bringing down Galbatorix. Was she really prepared to give up her entire way of life to raise a child, potentially on her own? Why had she agreed to do this? Why had Eragon agreed to this? She stopped in her tracks, her face growing pale. Eragon hadn't agreed to do this. He had asked her repeatedly if she was sure but she hadn't asked him once. She had just assumed this was what he wanted but what if it wasn't? What if she had pushed him into it? What if he regretted this? He's so young. He couldn't possibly be ready for a baby, especially not when he had so much going on. She sank down on the bed, resting both hands over her flat, toned abdomen. She took a deep breath to calm herself down. She still had a full year to prepare herself and she could only hope Eragon wouldn't grow to regret this. She lay back on the bed, absently rubbing her stomach. She'd talk to him when she knew for sure.

LALALA

Over the next week, the strange feeling grew but Arya still couldn't bring herself to tell Eragon. She needed time to think. Her life was about to change drastically and she wished there was someone she could talk to about everything. She wished there was someone who could tell her that she had nothing to worry about but there wasn't. She didn't feel like she could talk to Eragon about this. He was sure to have his own set of fears and she didn't want to burden him with hers. She strapped on her sword and decided to head out to the training field. At the very least, it could distract her for awhile. As she reached the training field, she quietly surveyed the men, choosing which one she wanted to challenge. For a moment she wished that she wasn't the only elf in Surda. There wasn't a human alive who could match her skills with a blade and it got rather boring. She spotted a scraggly looking man walking towards her and wondered if he wanted to spar with her. She sighed. She didn't want to have to go easy on someone. She wanted a match that would take her mind of her current problems. This man did not fit that image. He was overly thin, almost starved, and he walked with a limp. His dark hair hadn't been trimmed in months and looked tangled and knotted. He didn't look like someone who could hold up in a match against her.

"You shouldn't be out here." He grumbled. His voice was low and scratchy and he stared at her with cold, dark eyes. Her eyebrows shot up at his impertinence. Clearly he didn't know who she was.

"Excuse me?"

"Women have no place here. You'd only get hurt." He said, stepping in front of her. She stared at him, her hand on her hip. Her eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth to retort when Katrina ran up, laying a hand on the man's arm.

"Father, it's all right. Let her go." Arya tilted her head slightly, observing the pair. So this man was Katrina's father. Now she understood why he looked to be in such poor shape. "This is my father, Sloan, and this is Arya." Katrina said, introducing them. Sloan grunted in response so Arya didn't say anything but nodded once to acknowledge him. Katrina turned to face her. "Eragon's been searching for you."

"Is it important?" she asked, already knowing what he wanted. It was obvious that he was getting curious. She'd promised to come find him and, a week later, she still hadn't said anything about the baby. Whenever they were together, she'd steer the conversation in any direction other than her pregnancy. Katrina shook her head.

"I don't think so. He said he just wanted to talk to you about something." Arya nodded.

"I'll find him later then." She said, stepping around the pair and making her way towards her target. She knew she needed to talk to him. Their discussion was long overdue.

LALALA

Later that afternoon, Arya slowly made her way back to her room. She needed to figure out what she wanted to tell Eragon before she went to talk to him. She wasn't sure whether to tell him about all her doubts but she knew she needed to tell him that she was, in fact, pregnant.

"Arya!" She felt someone grab her wrist and slowly turned around, coming face to face with Eragon. She sighed and took his hand, so much for having time to think.

"Come on." She led him back to his tent and shut the flaps once they were inside. She could feel Eragon's eyes watching her and slowly turned to face him.

"We need to talk." He said simply. She nodded and looked away, feeling ashamed for having put this off.

"I know."

"Do you know if…" he trailed off, looking towards her stomach. She nodded slowly.

"I am." His eyes widened slightly and he looked back at her stomach.

"You're pregnant?" he asked, the excitement evident in his voice.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier…I just needed some time to think." Eragon frowned, looking concerned.

"How long have you known?" She lowered her head, letting her hair fall forward and block her face.

"I started suspecting it that first day." She quietly admitted. His frown deepened as he watched her.

"You're okay with this, right?" She smiled weakly and nodded.

"I'm okay." She said softly. He looked at her, disbelieving. She took his hand and squeezed it briefly. "I am." She assured him. He smiled at her and cautiously reached out, brushing his fingers against her stomach.

"Thank you for doing this." She smiled back and laid her hand over his, pressing his palm flat against her stomach. He rested his free hand on her back and slowly ushered her out of the tent. She smiled, taking some comfort in the fact that Eragon was happy. She stayed close to him as they walked outside before finally brushing his hand away as they stepped out into the light. She watched him rush off, presumably to speak with Saphira, before heading back to her own room. A moment later, Saphira's projected her thoughts to Arya.

_Congratulations. When will the baby come? _Arya smiled, bringing her hand down to her stomach.

"_Not for another year…about 51 weeks."_

_Let us know if you need anything. _Saphira told her, sounding pleased. Saphira paused, _I appreciate you doing this. I don't know if I'd trust anyone else. You'll be a good mother. _Arya bit her lip. Would she make a good mother? She hoped she would.

"_Thank you._"

LALALA

That night, Arya heard knocking on her door. She opened it slowly and was surprised to see Eragon standing there, surrounded by several of his friends from home. She glanced over her shoulder, looking at her mess of a room. In the past hour, she'd managed to spread all of her belongings all over the room. Clothes hung over every chair and table and tons of little odds and ends were piled on every flat surface she could find.

"Hello?" she wondered why he was here. "I'd invite you in but…" she trailed off, gesturing to the room behind her.

"Are you doing anything right now?" Eragon asked hesitantly, taking in the mess. She shook her head.

"No. Not at the moment. Why?"

"A bunch of my old friends and neighbors are having a celebration of sorts now that Katrina and Sloan have returned. None of them have really had a chance to meet you so we wanted to know if you'd like to come." She looked from Eragon to all the expectant faces behind him and then sighed.

"Give me a moment." She turned back around, leaving her door open. She sat down, pulling her boots out from under her bed. She could feel everyone's gaze on her so she looked up. They instantly averted their eyes and she smiled to herself. Eragon's eyes kept flickering around the room. After a moment, his eyes settled on her, watching her curiously. "I was looking for something." Eragon nodded uncertainly. He'd never known her to be so messy.

"Did you find it?" She sighed and shook her head.

"No, I didn't."

"Can we help you look?" She looked up, startled.

"No!" she said sharply. She forced her voice to even out, "I'd rather you didn't. It's a bit personal." She met Eragon's gaze, quietly slipping her hand down to her stomach for a moment. She hoped he understood her gesture. It had something to do with her pregnancy and she wasn't ready to explain that to his friends. She stood up and started to follow them outside. She grabbed his arm, holding him back. Once the others were a ways in front of them, she leaned over.

"Eragon, I need to find that paper. It's the one I had written all those notes on in Ellesméra." She whispered.

"I'll help you find it tonight." She sighed and rested her forehead against his chest.

"You don't understand. I haven't seen it since I left Ellesméra." She looked up and met his eyes, "If I left it behind we could have a problem. It wouldn't take long for someone to recognize my handwriting and I had written a bunch of detailed notes...they'd be able to figure it out. I don't want them to find out this way."

"We'll both look tonight. We'll find it." He said, silently praying that they would be able to find it. She smiled weakly and nodded towards his friends, who were getting further and further away.

"Come on. We'll deal with this later." Eragon nodded. They slowly walked out into the middle of camp. A huge bonfire was crackling noisily as little kids threw twigs into the flames. Tables framed the area and were mounded with every type of food the villagers could get a hold of. The entire area was decorated in bright colors and enchanted lamps hung from a wire stretched between all the trees. Arya slowly walked forward, quietly absorbing her surroundings. A loud whistle echoed over the voices and everyone stopped in their tracks.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" Arya's indifferent mask dropped as she looked around her in shock. She looked at Eragon for some sort of explanation. He smiled and began pulling her through the crowd.

"You said your birthday was this month so we wanted to do something. We weren't sure what day so we just picked one. Saphira and Roran have been working out the details since we got back. I was supposed to be keeping you distracted but..." he trailed off. For once in her life, Arya had no clue what to say. She just kept staring at him, completely speechless.

"You did this?" she finally asked. He nodded and a smile crept over her face. "Thank you...and you were close. It was two days ago." He smiled and turned to greet a group of young men walking towards them. She recognized Baldor and Albriech and greeted them before turning to the others. Eragon quickly introduced them before grabbing her hand and pulling her away. She looked at him curiously but didn't comment on it. As the hours passed, Arya began getting confused and slightly annoyed. If one of the younger men so much as looked at her, he'd immediately pull her away. When she'd first realized what was going on, she'd been surprised. She couldn't believe he was acting so jealous, especially since these were friend's he'd grown up with. She didn't understand it. Men had been staring at her for as long as she could remember but she'd always ignored them. Eragon knew that. He'd never acted this way before and it was being to get on her last nerve. Late that night, Arya was sitting beside him, talking to a few of the families. A tall dark haired young man walked over and sat across from her. Eragon immediately grabbed her hand and she held it against the ground, preventing him from getting up without a struggle. She hoped he wasn't so jealous that he'd cause a scene.

"I'm Arne." the man said, sticking his hand out. She looked down at it and then back at his face.

"Arya."

"Ah, the birthday girl." Arya lifted her eyebrows as she watched him. "How old are you?" Arya smiled and looked over at Eragon. Her smile dropped when she noticed him glaring at Arne. She huffed and stood up. She looked down at the man.

"I'm a hundred and one." she said, pulling Eragon back to her room and leaving the young man staring after her disbelieving. She needed to have a talk with Eragon about his behavior. She turned to the people around them, "It was nice meeting you." She immediately turned and walked off, knowing he would follow. She was silently fuming as they walked back to her room. She quietly opened her door, stepping aside to let him through. She slammed the door behind her and then placed a hand on her hip. "Eragon, what was that?"

"What?" he said guiltily. She huffed, getting angry.

"You plan this whole thing. You invite me out to meet your friends. Then you drag me away the second someone looks at me!! I have been ignoring boys like them for decades. What did you think would happen?"

"I just don't like them staring at you." Eragon mumbled. She sighed, watching him quietly for a moment.

"Here, help me look." She said, slowly sorting through the pile on her bed. After a moment, she looked back up at him. "Eragon, you can't act like that, especially once we're back in Ellesméra. You're only making a fool of yourself. You have no reason to be jealous." Eragon nodded, remaining silent. She pulled another bag out from under her bed and dumped it out onto the mattress. For the next hour, Eragon helped her search every inch of her room for the missing paper. He glanced up at her, knowing she was becoming stressed, and wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him. Her hands appeared to be shaking slightly and she looked ready to cry. He'd never seen her lose control like that. He looked away, knowing she'd feel embarrassed later. Finally he laid down on the floor, checking under every piece of furniture. He spotted a tiny folded up scrap of paper in the corner under her bed and pulled it out. He unfolded it, seeing her neat handwriting crammed all over the page. He held it up and she let out a relieved sigh. She took the paper, glancing at it briefly, and set it on the table.

"I was afraid I'd left it. Thank you." She watched him for a moment and then lowered her eyes. "You should probably go." He nodded solemnly.

"I'm sorry for my behavior tonight." He said quietly. She nodded once.

"Just don't let it happen again. It's rather embarrassing to be drug away in the middle of a conversation." _Multiple times…_she almost wanted to add. She quietly escorted him outside. "I'll see you later." She didn't wait for him to answer, immediately turning and going back inside, shutting the door behind her.

LALALA

Two days later Elain went into labor. Arya had tried to avoid the area all morning. Her stomach clenched painfully every time a whimper escaped from the unlucky woman and she was beginning to get a headache. As the day progressed, so did the cries coming from inside the tent. Gertrude and Angela had been sitting with her all day and various women came and went, checking in on the expectant mother. Arya just wanted to ignore everything going on around her. Finally she had had enough and hurried out of the camp, her arms wrapped tightly around her middle. She leaned against a tree, shutting her eyes. Eragon slowly walked up beside her, worried.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded, unconsciously looking in the direction of the camp. She looked up and met his gaze. She had her typical mask in place but her green eyes were troubled. A look of shock crossed his face as he realized that she was afraid. She sank to the ground, resting her back against the tree. Eragon sat beside her, concerned. There's a faint scream in the distance and Arya shut her eyes, trying to block out the sound. She reached down and began rubbing her flat stomach, hoping to ease the churning.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again. She was starting to worry him. She nodded uncertainly.

"I'll be better when this is over." She paused and then said, "I've been present at dozens of births every year and I have never reacted this way before."

Eragon hesitated and then whispered, "You've never been expected to go through it before either." Arya held his gaze for a moment and then nodded, looking at the ground. He stayed beside her, hoping to distract her from the distant cries of pain. It didn't seem to be working. He did most of the talking, occasionally forcing one worded answers out of her.

"Arya!" he finally called sharply, trying to get her attention. She looked up, meeting his eyes. His voice softened. "Arya, you've been through so much already. You're stronger than any of those women. If they can do it, you shouldn't have a problem." Arya looked up at him sadly.

"I may be strong but that won't stop the pain." Eragon didn't want to say anything else, for fear of upsetting her. He would never have expected her to act this way. She had been through so much in her life that he didn't think this would have mattered that much. She had been tortured day after day by Durza. Surely this would be easier than that. He wanted to ask her what it was that scared her but kept silent. He could always talk to her about it later. The screams stopped a few minutes later and Arya visibly relaxed. Eragon stood up and then offered his hand to her.

"I want to see what she had." He explained. She cautiously took his hand, letting him help her up, and followed him back to the camp. He felt her grip tighten slightly as they approached the tent. Horst was standing outside, grinning happily.

As they got closer, Horst called out, "It's a girl."

"Congratulations." He called back. He knew Elain would be happy with a little girl. She had already raised two rambunctious boys and a girl would be a good change. Horst waved him into the tent, pushing Arya in as well. Elain was laying on one of the two cots, propped up with several pillows. She was holding a tiny baby, wrapped in a white blanket. Eragon walked up to her to get a closer look, followed closely by Arya, who seemed slightly uncomfortable and overwhelmed.

"Her name is Arianna." Elain said quietly as she handed the baby to Eragon. He cautiously took her from Elain. Arya leaned over almost instantly, repositioning the baby in his arms.

"Watch her head." Arya cautioned, letting her hand linger on his arm for a moment longer than necessary. Eragon smiled up at her and then looked at the little girl in his arms. It was hard to believe that, at this time next year, he'd be holding his own son or daughter. Arya seemed to be thinking the same thing because she smiled up at him, her hand going to her belly. He nodded his head towards the baby, silently asking if she wanted to hold her. Arya hesitated and then let him place Arianna in her arms. She appeared fascinated by the newborn's tiny features. She lightly traced her finger over the baby's soft skin, smiling softly when Arianna gripped her finger. The baby looked up at her with big blue eyes and she felt a sudden rush of maternal feelings. She was going to be a mother. She'd have her own child soon enough. She smiled one last time and then gave Arianna back to her mother.

"We'll let you rest." Arya said, taking Eragon's hand and leading him out of the tent. Eragon was grinning goofily. She looked at him curiously, "What?" Eragon just shook his head and then looked down at her stomach. She smiled and then nodded her head in the direction of the pond. She started walking away, glancing over her shoulder to see if he was coming. He followed her in silence. She settled herself onto the sandy ground and then looked up at him, waiting for him to sit down as well.

"It's hard to believe that I'll be a mother next year."

"You are a mother." She looked at him curiously. "Our baby's right here." He told her, laying a hand on her stomach. She laughed lightly, resting her hand just above his.

"Expectant mother then." He grinned, accepting it. He watched her for a moment, growing more serious.

"How are you feeling?" She smiled at his concern.

"I'm fine."

"So you're not tired or anything?" She smiled and shook her head.

"Eragon, I'm only a week along."

"I just wanted to be sure."

"You don't need to worry. I feel fine. The baby's getting stronger every day. There's nothing to worry about." She assured him.

LALALA

a/n – okay, ending this chapter here…or who knows how long it'll get!! Haha. But yikes…I just rewrote the entire 1st half of this. Lol. But it's 1 am and I need to update tomorrow. Review please.

And thank you's...mystery writer5775, Ryder Blade, Vaapad, littleShiningStar, eamonster14, Alathema, Hazelstar, Eragon n Murtagh, Jasmine of the Forge, fAteD lOvE, GundamWingFanatic90, SnowChika, Chocoboknight155, oakel, spazzysassyangel, SilverAurora, xlilypadsx, Reidak, Lord Cornelius Ravencroft, The Rose of Battle, Druska41, Savage-Stiletto, and none (haha. :D No screen name?), Edoc'sil Wyrda, Kiwikiss, star2421, Dirt Rider 712, dark-angle0104. And also a thanks to Shur'tagal and ANGELOFTHEBLACKROSES who sent me pms.

And then a thank you to everyone who has me on their favs/alert lists (less guilt this way? haha). ANGELOFTHEBLACKROSES, Alathema, Aryawen, Aya Hinata Kitsune, Chocoboknight155, Dirt Rider 712, Dronzer, Eragon n Murtagh, Firelover123, Fricai Skulblaka, Glaedrz, GundamWingFanatic90, Hazelstar, JakeJ, Jasmine of the Forge, Kiwikiss, Lord Cornelius Ravencroft, Lord Nihilius, RathalosSlayer, Reidak, Ruffian194, Ryder Blade, Savage-Stiletto, Shur'tagal, SilverAurora, SnowChika, bookworm331, dark-angle0104, fAteD lOvE, giinypotter13, hurting-angel, jesslento, littleShiningStar, punzki, snowfairy11730, spazzysassyangel, star2421, sunqueen42, xlilypadsx


	7. Chapter 7

There You'll Be

Chapter Seven

A/n – Oh wow...so this is fun. I just got a new computer and so I'm trying to get used to it. I hate having to look at the keys to know where they are. But urgh...I keep hitting the wrong one. They're like, further left then I'm used to. So sorry for any mistakes. I'm trying but I'm getting so annoyed with this. Lol. And for some reason the spell check isn't picking up errors half the time so I'm trying to catch myself. I actually waited to write just so I could have time to play around with it. So fun. Lol. I am so lost..I can't find the save as button so I don't know where the heck I just saved my summary. Lol. It's somewhere...but I don't have a clue where. Haha. You'll probably be hearing...reading...a bunch of random rants in the next couple weeks until I get used to this mess. Lol.

And I feel kinda bad…I've kinda left Saphira out. Don't worry. She will be more involved shortly…I just had trouble since I've been focusing more on Arya and I can't really put Saphira in the tent/room with them. Okie dokie…time to distract myself. Lol. I have an essay I should be writing but I'm writing this instead. :D So pull out the popcorn…or in my case donuts. Lol.

LALALA

A week later, Arya lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She absentmindedly rubbed her belly as she thought of the little life she and Eragon had created. She was still nervous about all the changes this would bring to her life but she was growing more excited every day. Seeing Elain's baby daughter had jumpstarted her own maternal side and she couldn't wait to see her own child. She wondered whether it was a boy or girl. Would it have her black hair or Eragon's brown hair? What color eyes would it have? A million other questions ran through her mind and she sighed, knowing she still had almost a full year until she would get those answers. She heard a timid knock and propped herself up. She called for them to come in and the door slowly opened, revealing a young boy of about ten. He refused to look at her for a moment, his brown hair falling forward and covering his eyes. Finally he bit his lip and met her eyes.

"Lady Arya…" he began softly. He looked over his shoulder and she followed his gaze, noticing the group of boys huddled outside her door, attempting to keep themselves out of her view. She raised her eyebrows and looked at the boy expectantly, silently urging him to continue. He looked down at the stone floor and spoke softly, barely a whisper. "We, uh…we were supposed to have a sparring lesson today but everyone is busy and, um, we were wondering-" She cut him off, realizing what he was trying to say.

"Give me a couple minutes and I'll meet you out at the field." She said, letting her voice carry to the boys out in the hall. The boy grinned brightly, saying thank you, before running out to the others. She smiled softly as she strapped on her sword. Several weeks ago, a handful of the young men had volunteered to teach the young boys the art of sword fighting. The boys threw themselves eagerly into their training. In her free time, she liked going down to the field and watching them practice. Most of the boys were still very small and could barely control the sticks they practiced with. It was amusing to watch. She sat down and pulled on her boots. Just as she was standing up, another knock interrupted her. Eragon was leaning against the doorframe, watching her quietly. She offered him a slight smile and walked over to him.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he walked beside her.

"I'm going out to the training field." He looked at her, frowning.

"Why?"

"The boys training practice was cancelled so they asked if I'd take over for today. I have nothing else to do at the moment so I agreed." Eragon stepped in front of her and stopped. She moved to step around him and he grabbed her wrist. "Why are you stopping me?" she said grumpily. He glanced around the hallway before turning back to her.

"You're pregnant" he whispered. "You shouldn't be doing stuff like this anymore." Arya drew back, staring at him in shock. Her eyes flashed dangerously.

"Excuse me? Eragon, I'm only two weeks in. Most women wouldn't even know they were pregnant."

"But you do know…" he said softly.

"I'll be fine. I'm quicker than any of those boys." She paused and looked at him, pleading with him to understand, "It's only a matter of time before this pregnancy begins slowing me down. I'd like to continue doing things while I can."

"What if one of them manages to hit you?" he asked. She stared at him, surprised by the anger in his voice. "You could lose the baby."

"Eragon, I'm not going to get hit. The baby will be fine." She huffed. She was getting frustrated with him. She knew what she was doing.

"But what if you do?!" he said, forcing his voice to remain somewhat quiet. Arya drew herself up, growing furious with him.

"We'll just make another one then, won't we?" she said through gritted teeth. She shoved him to the side and walked away, leaving him staring after her in shock. She reached the field a few minutes later. A group of eleven boys, ranging from age eight to thirteen, were waiting impatiently. She waved her hand impatiently and they all lined up and watched her excitedly. For the next couple of hours, she drilled them relentlessly. She had them paired up and continually switching partners. As she worked with her own partner, she glanced around at the other pairs, pointing out any mistake she noticed. Finally the last boy made his way through the line up and stood in front of her. He was the youngest, barely eight years old. He had soft brown hair and stared up at her with big green eyes. Her mind instantly drifted to her own child. She had been rather harsh with Eragon. After all, he was only trying to look out for them. She sighed softly. She needed to go talk to him and fix this. Returning her attention to the small boy, she smiled softly. "What's your name?" He smiled back.

"Kai." He said bravely. He was the only boy so far that hadn't shied away from her. She smiled and quietly instructed him. He was an attentive little boy, eager to please. She laughed as she watched him struggle with a stick too big for his body. She spent a few minutes pointing out any little detail she could find and then dismissed the worn out young boys. They all waved, saying thank you, as they ran off. She watched them run off and then Kai stopped. He ran back to her, throwing his arms around her waist. She stiffened at first and then laughed and crouched down, hugging him back. For some reason, she felt an odd connection with the tiny boy. She stood up, tapping him lightly on the back.

"Go." She chuckled, watching him run to catch up with the other boys. Her smile slowly faded as she thought about her next task. She needed to talk to Eragon. She walked back to his tent and found Roran and Katrina sitting outside. They looked up as she approached. "Do you know where Eragon is? I need to speak with him." Roran thought for a moment and then nodded.

"If he's not out by the pond, check with Nasuada."

"Thank you." She said quietly. She headed out to the pond, hesitating when she saw Eragon sitting out by the water. She cautiously approached him and sat down beside him. She watched him sadly when he refused to look at her. She didn't quite understand why he was so angry with her. She had been rather rude to him but he couldn't possibly expect her to sit around and do nothing during her pregnancy. She'd go insane. "I'm sorry…I was being harsh earlier."

"You were." He said, not looking at her. Arya stayed silent for a moment and then reached out and laid her hand over his. A hurt look passed over her face when he continued ignoring her.

"Eragon, I'm not going to let anything happen to this baby. I know my own limits. I'd been watching those boys for days and that's the only reason I agreed. I would never even consider sparring with someone who could actually touch me." Eragon continued staring straight ahead, his hand lying limply in hers. She sighed softly and then reached up, turning his face towards her. She kept her hand on his cheek and forced him to meet her eyes. "I promise I will stop sparring but you can't try to pamper me. I can take care of myself. You need to accept that and you need to trust me. I'm not going to put myself or our baby in any danger. I would never be able to live with myself if I did something to hurt the baby." She lowered her hand as his grip slowly tightened and he gave her a weak smile.

"I just don't want to see you or the baby get hurt." He said quietly. She squeezed his hand briefly and smiled.

"We won't be." she said softly. He smiled and then turned back around. She kept her hand in his and stayed beside him. They sat in silence, watching the sun set over the water. Finally Arya pulled her hand out of his and stood up. She looked down at him, offering him her hand. "Are you coming?" He smiled and took her hand, letting her help pull him up. A moment later, she looked over at him curiously. "Where's Saphira? I haven't seen her all day."

"She went hunting a couple hours ago." She nodded briefly and continued walking. She was aware of his eyes in her so she turned to face him again.

"What?"

"So I'm guessing your still feeling okay?" She laughed quietly and nodded.

"I'm fine. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're just waiting for me to start feeling sick." He shook his head.

"No." He paused and then looked at her, "I don't want you to feel sick because I feel like it's my fault." Arya stared at him for a moment and then shook her head.

"It won't be your fault." She assured him. "That's just the way this works. I'll be fine." He nodded but didn't look very convinced. Before she knew it, they were back at her room. She quickly pulled her hand out of his, not realizing she'd been holding it all along. She smiled slightly and stepped inside. "I'll see you tomorrow?" she asked. Eragon nodded.

"I'll come by at some point."

LALALA

The next day, Eragon sat on the floor outside her door. He knew she usually came back to her room for lunch rather than eating with the Varden. Sure enough, a few minutes later he spotted her coming towards him. She looked at him curiously but stepped back, letting him inside. She sat down at the table and quietly began picking through the bowl of fruit. He sat down across from her and she gestured towards the bowl. He shook his head.

"No thanks."

"Okay. And before you ask, I'm still fine." She said, smiling. He chuckled softly.

"That's good." Arya nodded.

"Hopefully it holds off until we're back in Ellesméra. I'm not looking forward to traveling if I'm feeling nauseous the whole time...so how are you and Saphira?" she said, thinking out loud. Eragon frowned. He hadn't really thought about the fact that, because he had delayed their trip, Arya would probably be feeling sick during their week long flight.

"We're both doing well. I think Saphira's looking forward to returning to Ellesméra too."

"Too?" Eragon nodded.

"I'm ready to go back too...it's more of a home than anywhere else" he admitted. Arya opened her mouth to respond when a light knocking distracted her.

"Come in." she called, glancing at Eragon briefly. The door slowly opened and Kai walked inside. He smiled brightly at Arya and she smiled back weakly, noticing that he was carrying his sparring stick. She automatically knew what he'd come for and she knew she'd have to turn him down. She had promised Eragon that she wouldn't spar anymore. If she broke that promise, he probably wouldn't be able to trust any other promises she'd make. She didn't want him following her like a hawk because he didn't trust her to keep their child safe.

"Can you help with our lessons again?" he asked, his big green eyes sparkling excitedly. Arya sighed and looked at Eragon.

"Sorry Kai. I don't think I'm going to be able to anymore." The little boy's eyes instantly became teary. Eragon looked over at Arya, who was watching the boy sadly. She obviously wanted to help him.

"Why not?" he asked, his voice quavering. Arya looked at Eragon, unsure what to say. Eragon looked between Arya and Kai.

"Kai, how about this? Once or twice a week, both me and Arya will come help with your lessons. We have a lot to do though so we can't help every day." Arya looked up at him, pleased. Kai nodded eagerly.

"Okay!" he almost shouted, starting towards the door.

"We'll meet you down at the field in an hour." Eragon said. Kai nodded, slamming the door behind him. Arya looked at Eragon curiously, a slight smile on her lips. He nodded. "Just be careful." She smiled brightly.

"Thank you." She whispered. Eragon smiled back.

"Eat. We only have an hour." Arya smiled, popping a grape into her mouth.

LALALA

A week later, Arya found herself sitting on the side of her bed with her head in her hands. Outside, the stars twinkled brightly in the night sky. Her stomach was churning uncomfortably and she continually fought back the urge to empty it. She stood up but immediately sank back onto her bed as her head began spinning. She slowly pushed herself back up and tried to keep the dizziness under control. She slowly crossed the room and grabbed a bucket that had been sitting in a corner, catching water. She crawled back into her bed, setting the bucket within reach incase she'd need it. Her stomach kept churning and she wondered if the nausea would subside if she just let herself throw up. A few minutes passed and she rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling miserably. A small part of her wanted to ask Eragon to come sit with her but an even larger part strongly protested letting him get too close to her. She'd been keeping him at an arm's length since they'd met and a little bit of sickness wasn't going to change that. As the next wave of nausea built, stronger than before, she leaned over the side of the bed and grabbed the bucket. Tears began forming in her eyes as she gagged into it. After what seemed like hours, she set the bucket back on the floor and curled up, hugging her knees tightly. Her whole body was shaking and her stomach was still clenching painfully. She hadn't felt so drained in ages. After a moment, she reached up and quietly brushed away a few tears that had escaped. For once in her life, she wanted someone to stay with her and tell her everything would be fine but she couldn't bring herself to ask someone, ask Eragon, for help. For the next several hours, she lay curled in the bed, weakly attempting to fight off the constant nausea. When the sun finally began rising, she drug herself out of bed and splashed some water on her face, hoping that she looked slightly better than she felt. All she wanted to do was stay curled in her bed until she felt better but she knew she couldn't. It could be months before the nausea subsided and she still had a job to do. She couldn't slack on her duties just because she was pregnant, especially if she wanted to keep anyone from finding out.

Later that day, Eragon paced the field, calling out orders to the children. It was their second official lesson with Arya and himself training them. The boys tired quickly under the heavy drilling but were thrilled that the Dragon Rider and elf ambassador had agreed to train them. Eragon walked through them a few more times before walking over to Arya. She's been unusually quiet. The week before she'd been calling out more directions than he could keep up with but now she was just standing on the sidelines, watching them quietly. As he approached her, she leaned back against a tree, shutting her eyes. Eragon frowned. She looked paler than normal.

"Arya, are you okay?" he asked cautiously. She looked up and met his gaze. Her bright green eyes had dulled and she looked miserable. She shut her eyes again, resting her head against the tree. Finally she took a deep breath as she began rubbing her stomach soothingly.

"I've been feeling a bit nauseous since I woke up." She quietly admitted. Eragon frowned, looking down at her stomach.

"The baby?" he asked. She nodded slowly. "Do you need to sit down?" Arya just shook her head, keeping her eyes shut.

"I'll be fine."

"Okay" he said hesitantly, "Just tell me if you need anything." Eragon slowly walked back to the sparring boys, looking over his shoulder every few moments. He glanced over the sparring pairs before settling on two older boys who looked ready to kill each other. Eragon walked over and yanked the weapons out of their hands, holding them high above the boys heads. "Want to tell me what's going on?" The taller boy simply scowled, folding his arms over his chest, while the smaller boy instantly teared up. His lip began quivering and Eragon sighed. He squatted down and came eye to eye with the young boy. "What happened?" he repeated, softly this time.

"He…he-" The boy was interrupted by a muffled groan. Eragon turned around in time to see Arya sink to the ground, slumping against the tree trunk. Eragon rushed over and knelt beside her. Her eyes were shut and she seemed even paler than before. Eragon opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when she suddenly leaned over, emptying her stomach. Eragon quickly pulled back her hair, trying to keep it out of her way. He rubbed her back slowly, unsure of what else to do. After a moment, she carefully sat up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Eragon was distantly aware of the crowd gathering around them and turned to face them.

"You're dismissed." He said, hoping they'd leave. He carefully picked her up, surprised by how light she felt. Arya wrapped an arm around his neck and pressed her face against his chest. She groaned softly and he could feel her breathing steadily against him. It seemed forced, as if she was trying to hold back the urge to vomit again. He slowly carried her back to his tent, trying not to jostle her too badly. Roran, Katrina and Saphira were all nearby and came running when they noticed him carrying Arya.

_What happened?_ Saphira asked, staying a step behind him and peering over his shoulder anxiously.

"_She's apparently been feeling ill since this morning."_ He told her briefly. He nodded towards his tent and Roran pulled back the flap for them. "Can you find a bucket or something? She's not feeling well." He asked, setting Arya down on his cot. He sat down beside her and she leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. He gently laid a hand on her shoulder, letting her know that he was there. He wasn't sure what to do other than be there for her. "Are you feeling any better?" he asked, hoping she was. He felt her head move slightly against him.

"No." she breathed so quietly he could barely hear her. Eragon let out a slow breath, looking anxiously at the tent opening. She bit her lip, shutting her eyes again. Eragon moved his hand down to her back and rubbed slow circles over her shirt, hoping to make her feel better. Katrina cautiously walked inside and set the bucket on the ground by the bed. She barely had time to step back before Arya grabbed the bucket and began throwing up again. Eragon continued rubbing her back and Katrina sat on her other side, keeping her hair back. Arya finally set the bucket back down and slumped over, burying her face in her hands.

"Do you need anything?" Eragon asked quietly. She shook her head slightly, not moving from her current position. Eragon quietly got up and took the bucket outside to empty it. Katrina stayed beside Arya, rubbing her back comfortingly. A moment later, Eragon walked back in and put the bucket beside her bed. He crouched down in front of her, carefully pulling her hands away from her face. She met his eyes and he could tell she felt terrible. "Get some rest." Arya nodded numbly and slowly lay down, keeping her back to them. She hugged her knees to her chest and Eragon sighed softly, pulling the blankets over her thin body. He stood up, looking down at her sadly. He hoped the next few weeks wouldn't be too hard on her. He slowly walked outside and then into Katrina's tent. It wasn't right for Roran and Katrina to live together until they were married so Katrina slept in the tent right beside them but spent almost all her time with Roran. They followed him in silence, constantly glancing in the direction of the tent. Eragon shut the flap, hiding their conversation from any passerbys. He wasn't sure what to tell them. They were obviously worried about Arya but he had promised not to reveal her pregnancy without her permission.

"What's wrong with her?" Roran asked, frowning. Eragon hesitated and then shrugged.

"I don't know." He lied, "She said she's been feeling dizzy all day."

"Maybe the heat?" Katrina suggested. Eragon just shook his head and shrugged again. Roran watched him for a moment and then clapped him on the back.

"Go stay with her." He told him. "We'll come check on her later." Eragon smiled appreciatively and hurried back to his tent. He walked inside, only to find Arya leaning over the bucket again. Eragon quickly moved beside her and pulled her hair back again. He looked up at Katrina who was standing in the doorway.

"We'll see if we can find someone who might know what to do." She said quietly. Eragon nodded. He didn't know how to help Arya and felt bad letting her suffer. He looked back at Arya. She continued dry heaving until she was sweating from the effort. Her eyes were watery and every once in awhile he'd see a tear roll down her cheek. He slowly rubbed her back, his stomach clenching in time with hers. He hated seeing her like this. Finally her stomach settled down and she crawled back under the blankets. Eragon moved to get up but Arya grabbed his wrist.

"Stay." She said quietly, meeting his eyes. He hesitated and then nodded. He carefully lay down beside her, letting her stay closest to the bucket. She immediately put her arm around him, burying her face against his chest. He cautiously slipped a hand under her shirt and continued rubbing her back. He wished there was something else he could do for her. A few minutes later, Elain peaked inside. She quietly walked inside and sat down on the edge of the bed. She lightly laid her hand on Arya's shoulder and waited for her to respond. After a couple seconds, Arya took a deep breath and turned over, looking truly miserable. Elain smiled comfortingly and slipped an arm around her back.

"Come on" Elain whispered, helping her sit up. Arya immediately leaned over, resting her head in her hands. Elain motioned towards the pitcher of water sitting on the small bedside table. Eragon nodded and quietly filled a glass before handing it to Arya. "Take small sips. You need to stay hydrated." Elain instructed her. She looked up at Eragon, "Go find something for her to eat. Something dry that won't upset her stomach." Arya shook her head slowly.

"I don't think I'll be able to keep anything down." She said, sounding hoarse and tired.

"You just need to keep something in your stomach." Elain looked up at Eragon again, shooing him away. He hurried down to the house and began sorting through the kitchen cabinets. Finally he found a basket of biscuits in the pantry and pulled them out. He wrapped several in a piece of cloth and then hurried back to Arya. He stepped inside and paused in the doorway as he watched her continue throwing up the water she'd just drank. Elain sat beside her, whispering random nonsense as she rubbed her back. When she finished, Elain handed her the water again. "Small sips. Don't drink so quickly this time." Eragon set the biscuits on the table and sat down beside her. She immediately handed the glass back to Elain and leaned against him, pressing her face against his chest. He sighed softly and wrapped his arms around her. Elain smiled at them at then stood up. "Eragon, just make sure she keeps drinking and see if she can keep a little bit of food down. Don't let her eat or drink too quickly. Come find me if you need anything."

"Is there anything else I can do?" he asked. Elain shook her head.

"She'll be fine. Women go through this all the time." Eragon's head jerked up and he stared at her in shock. Elain smiled at them. "I was just pregnant myself. I know the signs…how far along are you?"

"3 weeks" Arya mumbled. Elain frowned; concerned that Arya was already so sick. She shook it off quickly. She didn't know anything about elves so it might be normal. Arya looked up and met her eyes. "Elain, please don't tell anyone." She smiled reassuringly.

"I won't tell anyone." She promised before walking out of the tent. Arya stayed in his arms for a moment longer and then Eragon carefully pushed her away. He handed her one of the biscuits and she reluctantly took it. She played with it for a few minutes, occasionally taking a few small bites before she set it back on the table. She crawled back under the blankets and curled up, shutting her eyes. Eragon stayed beside her and watched her sleep. He slowly stroked her back, playing with the ends of her long black hair. After a moment he moved over to a nearby chair.

"_Saphira?"_

_Is Arya alright?_ She asked, sounding concerned.

"_She's asleep for now. She looks miserable though."_

_Will she be okay to travel next week?_

"_I'm not sure. I'll ask her when she wakes up. If this keeps up I don't know how she'll be okay." _He heard Arya groan and looked up in time to see her lean over the bed. He rushed over, hoping she had made it into the bucket and not all over the ground. She wiped her mouth and then collapsed against the pillows. Eragon quickly took the bucket outside to empty it. He set it back beside her and then sat on the edge of the bed. She was still extremely pale and was sweating slightly. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him. He helped her sit up slowly and then handed her the water. She took a couple sips and then handed it back to him, shaking her head slightly. She quietly wrapped her arms around her stomach and then looked up at him.

"Thank you for staying with me." She whispered.

"Are you feeling any better?" She hesitated and then shrugged.

"I'm still nauseous but it's not as bad." She paused and then admitted, "I'm not used to feeling sick." Eragon looked at her curiously.

"Do elves not get sick?" Arya shook her head.

"No. We're immune to disease." she mumbled.

"So you've never been sick?"

"I've never been sick in the way you're thinking. I have gotten food poisoning though." Eragon looked at her, surprised. She nodded, smiling weakly. "It was when I first joined the Varden. I was young and didn't pay attention like I should have. I was up all night but was okay by the next morning."

"And in Gilead?" Arya shrugged.

"I know I was sick but I don't remember it very clearly." She slowly lay back down, feeling drained. She lightly tapped the spot beside her and scooted over, letting Eragon lay beside her. She rested both hands over her stomach and looked over at him. "I'm going to be fine. It won't last forever." she said, unsure whether she was trying to convince Eragon or herself. Eragon nodded. She may be fine but he still felt like it was his fault that she was sick.

"Do you think you can travel?" She nodded and slowly rubbed her stomach.

"We'll just have to go slower than we had planned."

"How much slower?" he asked, wondering how much food they'd need to pack. She sighed softly and looked at her belly.

"I don't know." She rolled onto her side and looked at him, smiling weakly. "This is why I wanted to leave sooner. We would have been home by now." Eragon frowned. That was definitely his fault.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you to wait." She grabbed his hand, squeezing it lightly, before letting her hand fall to her side.

"It's okay. You didn't know. It's not that big of a deal. I would have argued with you if it was."

"But you even said you wanted to be back in Ellesméra by now…I should have listened" he said weakly. Arya frowned and looked at him seriously.

"Stop blaming yourself. You did nothing wrong. If you want to be here for me, you can't think like this." She paused for a moment, shutting her eyes and taking a few deep breaths. Eragon's brow creased as he watched her. Finally she shook it off and looked back up at him. "Eragon, you asked if you could be there when the baby is born. If you can't handle me feeling sick, how are you going to handle seeing me in labor?" Eragon stayed silent. Arya nodded, having proven her point. "If you keep thinking like this, you're not going to be able to. I am not going to let you be there if you can't handle it." She smiled at him and then sat up. She immediately covered her eyes and slowly laid back down.

"Arya?" She took a few more deep breaths and then slowly lowered her hand.

"I've been getting dizzy if I move too quickly." She explained. She tried again and Eragon wrapped an arm around her back to help her. "I'm going to go back to my room." Eragon nodded, slightly reluctant to leave her alone.

"I'll walk you back."

"You don't need to." Eragon shrugged.

"I want to." Arya looked at him for a second and then nodded. Eragon walked beside her, glancing over at her occasionally. She looked slightly better. The color was coming back into her face and her eyes had brightened slightly. She still appeared tired though. As they approached her room, she finally looked over at him. He looked away even though he knew she'd known he was watching her. She half smiled and then walked inside. She paused and then turned back. "Thank you." He nodded briefly.

"Good night." He said, watching her slowly shut the door.

LALALA

Thanks to everyone for the reviews. I can not believe there's over 100 already! So thanks to...mystery writer5775, Jasmine.Flowers, Dirt Rider 712, Alathema, Druska41, Vaapad, xlilypadsx, spazzysassyangel, Hazelstar, ANGELOFTHEBLACKROSES, Arozethi, Ryder Blade, SnowChika, arygon199, Kiwikiss, Edoc'sil Wyrda, LULU, dark-angle0104, SilverAurora, Arozethi. And those that pm'd me...bookworm331

And then a thank you to everyone who has me on their favs/alert lists. 2sides2evrystory, ANGELOFTHEBLACKROSES, Alathema, Arozethi, Aryawen, Aya Hinata Kitsune, Chocoboknight155, Desmonic, Dirt Rider 712, Dronzer, Eragon n Murtagh, Firelover123, Fricai Skulblaka, Glaedrz, GundamWingFanatic90, Gwendolin Sparrow, Hazelstar, JakeJ, Jasmine.Flowers, Kiwikiss, Laurelleaves, Lord Cornelius Ravencroft, Lord Nihilius, Melcangel, RathalosSlayer, Reidak, Ruffian194, Ryder Blade, Savage-Stiletto, Shur'tagal, SilverAurora, SnowChika, arygon199, audreypod94, bookworm331, dark-angle0104, fAteD lOvE, giinypotter13, hurting-angel, jesslento, littleShiningStar, punzki, snowfairy11730, spazzysassyangel, star2421, sunqueen42, xlilypadsx


	8. Chapter 8

There You'll Be

Chapter Eight

A/n – haha. Sorry it took so long to get this up today. I woke up early this morning and went to help at my mom's school. I am WORN OUT! Haha. And then I still had a couple paragraphs left to finish. I've been all over the place this week and for some reason this chapter was very hard to write. I'm not entirely sure why but I rewrote the damn thing about 8 times before I decided oh well, this is it. Haha. Anyways, I'm going up to our lake house all weekend so I will respond to everyone when I get home on Monday night/Tuesday morning. Lol. I'm kinda dreading not checking my email for 3 days. Haha! But I'll have my laptop with me so I'll try to keep writing over the weekend. :D Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!!

Anyways, to answer a few comments. First of all, I will be bringing Saphira in more. Lol. As I said in the last a/n, I actually feel bad because I didn't realize how little I'd included Saphira until I looked back over it. But she will definitely be involved more in the coming chapters, especially once I start focusing more on Eragon. And also, Arya's sickness…first off, Arya is not human. I would like to stress, once again, this will NOT be exactly like a human pregnancy. The fact that I've already said that it will take place over the next 12 months should tell you that. The basics will be the same but I will end up changing some details. Everything I do is done for a reason. Anyways, if anyone has any more questions, as always, feel free to ask. :D Review please!

LALALA

The next morning when Eragon woke up, his mind instantly drifted to Arya. He wondered how she was feeling and hoped she was okay. He lay in bed for a few more minutes and then decided to go see if she was still in her room. He quickly hurried up to her room, stopping briefly to talk with Saphira. Her door was still closed so he knocked softly, hoping she was in. She didn't answer. He was about to leave when the door slowly creaked open. She didn't say anything but stepped back, letting him in. She shut the door behind her and crawled back in bed, pulling the blankets up to her chin. Eragon frowned and cautiously sat beside her. Her hair was tied back in a messy bun, presumably to keep it out of her way. The contrast between her dark hair and pale skin made her appear even sicklier. She had never looked so fragile.

"Do you still feel ill?" he asked, concerned. She weakly smiled up at him.

"Not really. I'm just tired. I didn't sleep very well." She whispered. He nodded slowly.

"I'll let you sleep then." He moved to get up but she laid a hand over his, successfully stopping him. She bit her lip and looked away from him, moving her hand away. She rolled onto her side, keeping her back to him. Eragon gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "Do you want me to stay?" he asked quietly. She stiffened slightly but nodded. "Okay"

"Okay…" she repeated softly. Eragon settled himself on the bed and leaned against the wall, making himself comfortable. Arya didn't say anything and refused to face him. He wondered if she was embarrassed for wanting him there. He slowly reached out and began rubbing slow circles on her back. He wasn't sure if it was helping any but she wasn't complaining. At the very least it made him feel like he was doing something. She quickly fell asleep, worn out from the constant sickness. He sat beside her for over an hour before he was distracted by a light knocking on the door. He slowly stood up, watching Arya twitch slightly at the sudden loss of contact. He tiptoed across the room and slowly pulled open the door. Nasuada stood on the other side, looking at him curiously. Eragon walked out and quietly shut the door behind him.

"Is everything okay?" Nasuada asked, glancing over his shoulder at the closed door. Eragon shook his head.

"Arya's not feeling well." Nasuada's confusion grew.

"She's sick? I don't remember her ever getting sick." Eragon shrugged. Might as well let her make her own assumptions. "Can I talk to her?" Eragon unconsciously stepped back, blocking the doorway.

"She's asleep. Apparently she was up all night."

"I just need to ask her something. I'll let her go back to sleep." She assured him. Eragon frowned but opened the door and let her in. He quietly walked over and sat down the edge of her bed. He laid a hand on her shoulder, shaking her lightly.

"Arya, Nasuada wants to talk to you" he said softly. She groaned softly and looked over her shoulder. Nasuada was standing nearby, looking concerned. She quickly sat up, instantly regretting the sudden movement. She lunged forward and leaned over Eragon, grabbing the bucket sitting by her bed. Eragon rubbed her back as she lay across his legs and emptied her stomach again. He looked up at Nasuada as he continued rubbing Arya's back, feeling her body shaking as the nausea overwhelmed her. After a few more minutes, she slowly sat up. She looked down for a moment and tried to compose herself before meeting Nasuada's eyes. Nasuada looked at her, pitying and concerned.

"Are you all right?" Arya hesitated and then nodded.

"I'll be fine." She said softly.

"I wanted to talk to you about something." Arya sat up a little straighter and nodded for her to continue. "Do you know how long you'll be gone?"

"I'm not certain." She said cautiously, glancing at Eragon.

"More than a few months?" Nasuada asked. Arya hesitated and then nodded. Nasuada sighed and looked between them sadly. The news about Murtagh, along with the war, was upsetting. Now the Varden would be losing their Rider and the elf ambassador who had been with the Varden before any of them had even been born. They'd really be at a loss without them.

"We're not going to be leaving you alone. We'll keep checking up on you and I made Eragon promise to return the moment there's trouble." Arya assured her, sounding weak and tired. Nasuada quietly observed the sickly woman in front of her and then nodded and turned towards the door.

"I'll let you get back to sleep. We can talk later." The door shut softly behind her and Arya let out a deep breath. She slowly lay back down and looked up at him, placing a hand over her stomach.

"I'm not sure if I'll be able to hide this." Eragon stayed silent, not wanting to say anything that would upset her. When she rolled back onto her side, he automatically reached out and then paused, his hand resting on her back.

"Does this even help?" He asked. He'd feel foolish if he kept rubbing her back but it wasn't doing anything. She nodded.

"A bit." She looked over her shoulder and smiled at him tiredly. "I think I'm just going to stay in today. You can leave whenever you want." Eragon settled himself against the wall again. Arya watched him for a moment and, when it was obvious he intended to stay, scooted closer to him and rolled onto her stomach. She hugged her pillow and slowly drifted off to sleep as he slowly ran his hand across her back.

LALALA

That evening, Arya rolled over and noticed that Eragon was gone. She was surprised to find that she was somewhat disappointed by the fact. She wasn't supposed to need him and it scared her to admit that she did. She hadn't wanted to rely on him too heavily but she was already clinging to him more than she'd thought possible. She wasn't sure what to do about it. She looked down and quietly stroked her belly. Her child needed its father but she hadn't been expecting to need him too. She slowly sat up, dismissing the thought. She was feeling quite a bit better so she decided to go outside and get some fresh air. She slowly walked around her room, afraid to move too quickly, and made herself presentable again. She laughed humorlessly at her reflection in the mirror. She truly did look miserable. She quickly changed into a clean set of clothes and then walked outside. After a moment, she found herself back at the pond. She wasn't sure what it was that drew her there but she always seemed to end up at the pond when she wanted to relax. She paused, seeing Katrina sitting on the bank, dangling her feet in the water. She slowly walked up and sat beside her. The young redheaded girl looked up at her, smiling softly.

"Hello." Katrina said. Arya smiled in response. "Are you feeling any better?" Arya nodded.

"For now." They fell into a comfortable silence. Every few moments Katrina would glance at her out of the corner of her eye. Arya sighed, wondering why she didn't just say something.

"If you have any questions, you can ask me." she finally said. Katrina looked at her curiously.

"What?"

"About the baby." She clarified. Katrina stared at her in shock. Her gaze drifted down to Arya's stomach, as if she'd be able to see some physical proof of her pregnancy.

"Baby? You're pregnant?" she repeated, sounding surprised. Arya drew back slightly.

"Eragon didn't tell you?" she asked cautiously. Katrina shook her head slowly, her gaze alternating between her face and her stomach.

"No. When we asked him he just said that you were feeling dizzy. I thought it was from the heat or something." She said slowly. Arya frowned and shook her head, lowering her gaze.

"I thought for sure he would have told you. I did ask him to keep it a secret but I honestly thought he would have just told you both the truth." She said, thinking aloud. She looked up and met her eyes. "I'm three weeks…no one was supposed to know that Eragon had fathered a child. We were planning on leaving before anyone found out that I had gotten pregnant but…I guess that didn't work out. Elain figured it out almost immediately. I thought Eragon would have told you, especially once Elain knew about it." Katrina kept staring at her, trying to process the information.

"So are you and Eragon-" She was cut off when Arya suddenly jumped up, cursing under her breath. She braced herself against a tree and began throwing up. Katrina stood up and hurried over to her. She pulled her hair back and waited for Arya to finish. Once she was done, she leaned against the tree for a moment longer and then slowly walked back to the water. Arya felt drained again and sunk to the ground. She hugged her knees to her chest and laid her cheek on top of them, shutting her eyes. She had thought the nausea had faded but the moment of relief clearly wasn't lasting long.

"Are you okay?" Katrina asked, sitting beside her. Arya shook her head slightly.

"I'll have Eragon find Roran and meet us back at my room." She searched out Eragon and quickly made contact.

_Eragon, where are you?_

"_Saphira said Roran was looking for me so I left about an hour ago. Are you okay?"_

_I'm fine. Meet me back at my room and bring Roran._ She could sense the confusion coming off him.

"_Is everything all right?"_

_Everything's fine…but I told Katrina about the pregnancy. I had assumed you told them the truth._

"_I didn't want to tell them without your permission…we'll meet you there in a few minutes."_

_Okay. And make sure to swear him to secrecy before you get there._

"_How much are you planning on telling them?" _he asked curiously, wondering what information she planned to reveal.

_I'm not certain but I want to be able to talk freely. If I end up telling them about Glaedr or my mother, I don't want anyone else to find out. _Arya cut off the connection and looked over at Katrina.

"They'll meet us in a few minutes." She slowly pushed herself off the ground, trying to keep the nausea down. Katrina walked beside her, watching her cautiously. She led her down the empty hallway to her room. Eragon and Roran were still nowhere in sight. She walked inside and sat cross-legged on her bed, watching the door anxiously. Katrina sat down at the table. "Before we tell you any more, you must swear that nothing you learn will leave this room." Katrina looked at her curiously, wondering what Arya was planning on sharing that caused her to be so cautious. Arya met her eyes and explained, "There are certain factors involved in this that I don't want anyone to know."

"I won't say anything." Arya nodded and then helped her swear it in the ancient language. A moment later the door slowly creaked open. Eragon walked in, followed by a confused Roran. Roran went to sit beside Katrina. Arya nodded her head towards the spot beside her so Eragon sat beside her. She grabbed his hand, squeezing it briefly, and then released it.

"So what's going on?" Roran asked, looking between them.

"Atranosu waíse vardo fra eld hórnya." _Let us be warded from listeners_. Arya quietly muttered the spell and then looked at Eragon. He nodded and met his cousin's eyes.

"There's something you should know" he said slowly. "We hadn't planned on telling anyone yet but Arya thought I had already told you so she mentioned it to Katrina." Roran keeps looking between them, trying to figure out what could be going on. He looked between them, noting how close they were sitting, and a smile spread over his face.

"Are you together?" he asked. Arya shook her head.

"No. We aren't together." She locked eyes with Eragon for a moment and then took a deep breath. "But I am pregnant." Roran's jaw dropped. That was the absolute last thing he expected. He glanced over at Eragon curiously and Arya nodded. "Eragon's the father." she confirmed.

"What?!" he finally managed sputter. Arya nodded, holding his gaze.

"Three weeks."

"But you said you weren't even thinking about children." He said slowly, thinking back on the discussion they had during their trip. Arya smiled guiltily.

"I didn't say I wasn't thinking about it. I said that, for most elves my age, there's no reason to think about it." Roran kept staring at her in shock. Eragon chuckled softly and Arya looked over at him curiously.

"Brom once told me that what an elf doesn't say is often more important than what they do say." Eragon told them. Arya held back a grin as she glanced up at Eragon and then looked back at Roran. He didn't appear to be accepting the news as well as Katrina. She quickly told them about the meeting with Nasuada and how she agreed to have the child to test the theory. After hesitating for a moment, she quietly told them about Glaedr as well, realizing they might understand better if they knew there was a definite source of dragon eggs. Roran continued staring at her, disbelieving.

"But didn't you say you'd get in trouble?" he asked. Arya nodded solemnly.

"We're expecting it." They sat in silence for a moment and then Katrina looked between Arya and Eragon.

"So what happens next?" Arya rubbed her temples as another wave of nausea grew. Her stomach was churning uncomfortably. She nodded for Eragon to talk. He reached out and rubbed her back, watching her for a moment before turning back to Roran and Katrina.

"We'll leave for Ellesméra right after the wedding. I do have training to complete and Ellesméra is the safest place for Arya and the baby. If Galbatorix ever found out that we have a child, he could use it against us…" he trailed off as he noticed Arya grow even paler. He nodded towards the bucket that was sitting by her bed and Roran passed it to him, thankful it was empty. Eragon set it on the ground within reach incase she needed it. She smiled weakly but didn't reach for it. She was determined to learn how to control the urges.

"Do you have any family in Ellesméra?" Katrina asked. Arya nodded but before she had the chance to say anything, Katrina cut in. "How do you think they'll react?" Arya hesitated, unsure of what to say.

"My mother is the only family I have left." She saw the curiosity on the faces and explained, "My father was killed when I was little and I don't have any other family. Elves don't have more than one child so I have no siblings or cousins."

"What about your grandparents?" Katrina asked. Arya shook her head slowly.

"The only one I've ever met was my father's mother and that was a very long time ago."

"Well how's your mother going to take the news?" Roran asked, his eyes drifting back to her stomach. It was hard to believe that his cousin's child was growing inside of her. Within the next year, his younger cousin would be a father. Roran wasn't quite sure how to process the information. Arya followed his gaze and slowly ran a hand across her abdomen. She sighed softly and refused to meet their eyes. Roran's voice softened slightly, "that bad?" Arya looked up at him and nodded.

"I'm not looking forward to telling her." She quietly admitted. "I don't think she's going to understand why I'm doing this." She laughed humorlessly and averted her eyes. "She didn't agree with my decision when I joined the Varden and refused to see me." She paused and looked up at them, her emotions hidden behind a blank mask. "For seventy years I have lived without ever speaking to her. We've only just been reconciled." Katrina frowned as she looked at her.

"What will happen?"

"Honestly, I'm not certain. Under most circumstances, I'd most likely be disowned for this but my mother didn't fair well during my absence so I can only hope she won't go to that extent…" Arya trailed off, not wanting to talk about the subject any longer. Roran suddenly frowned and looked at Eragon seriously.

"And what about Eragon? Will he be in trouble as well?" he asked, his voice stern. Arya looked up at Eragon for a moment and then smiled reassuringly.

"He'll be in trouble but most of the blame will fall on me." She smiled up at Eragon again. "He's the only Rider we have. The elves can't afford to alienate him." She paused briefly, thinking, before continuing. "Eragon still has a lot to learn about our culture. He doesn't fully understand the significance of what we've done. They can't fault him for what he doesn't understand. They'll blame me for not stepping up and stopping this. He's only sixteen and, according to our standards, he's still a child. I may be considered young but I'm no child. I'm old enough to take full responsibility for my actions."

"Do you want a boy or girl?" Katrina asked, hoping to move onto lighter subjects. She'd noticed Arya steadily growing tenser and hoped to lighten the air a bit. Arya looked slightly taken back for a moment and blinked.

"I have no preference." She finally said. Katrina smiled.

"You must have some preference." Katrina told her. Arya shook her head.

"Most elves don't even get the chance to have a child. Having the child at all is enough for me. I don't care whether it is a boy or a girl." Arya paused briefly, "I suppose a boy would be best though. Though the elves consider men and women equals, the human world still places more value on males." Katrina nodded, understanding her reasoning. She looked at Eragon for his opinion.

"Girl." He said without hesitation. Arya looked at him, surprised. He nodded, grinning at the stunned look on her face. "I wouldn't mind a boy but we can only have one and…I don't know. I just pictured a daughter." He paused, "I suppose a boy would be best though."

"When are you due?" Roran asked, glancing at her stomach again. Arya smiled as she noticed his eyes fall to her still flat abdomen for the hundredth time.

"The baby is due exactly a year after it's conceived but it could come early or late." She stopped and quickly did the math. "I've got about 49 weeks left." Katrina looked at her incredulously.

"So you still have almost a full year left? That seems like a long ways off. What is Eragon supposed to do in the meantime?" she asked.

"Eragon is going to come back with me but the second there's trouble he'll return to the Varden. The Varden needs him more than I do. I can take care of myself." She hesitated and then admitted, "I don't want to raise the child by myself but I can if it comes down to that."

"I'm going to be there." Eragon insisted. He didn't even want to think of Arya raising their child by herself. He knew there'd be times where he'd be forced to leave them but he'd already sworn to himself that he'd return as soon as possible. He knew Arya would be able to take care of herself and their child but he didn't want her to go through it alone. She may not be thrilled with it but he knew she appreciated his support. He couldn't think of any other reason she had wanted him to stay with her this morning. A few minutes later, Roran and Katrina excused themselves. Eragon waited behind, unsure if Arya wanted him to leave or not. As soon as the door shut behind the engaged couple, Arya turned to him.

"You really want a daughter?" she asked, fighting a smile. Eragon nodded. Her smile widened slightly. "Why?"

"Why wouldn't I?" he responded. She shook her head slowly, her bright smile steadily growing. She looked down, gingerly placing both hands over her stomach.

"I just thought you'd want a boy. Most men are so excited about their first son. I thought that, since this is our only child together, you'd want it to be a boy, especially since we're hoping for a future Rider." Eragon frowned and met her eyes.

"A girl could be a Rider too, right?" He asked. Arya nodded.

"There's a fifty-fifty chance that this baby could be a girl. If there was no chance of a girl becoming a Rider, I wouldn't be having this baby. Those odds would have been too big and this is already a big risk to be taking." She paused and met his eyes again. "So tell me why you want a girl." Eragon flushed and looked away. He didn't want to tell her the real reason he wanted a daughter with her. He didn't want to tell her that he wanted a little girl that looked just like her. That it'd be one part of her that he'd never have to lose. He didn't want to tell her that, in some strange way, he felt like he'd be making up for her own lost childhood. She had grown up without a father and he felt like, maybe if he could be a father to her, their, daughter, it might fix some of that. Sure, a son would be great but, deep in his heart, he wished for a daughter. Finally he shrugged, still refusing to meet her eyes.

"I just do." He muttered lamely. Arya lifted her eyebrows, watching him curiously, but didn't push him any further. She smiled briefly and lay back on the bed, propping herself up on her elbow as she watched him silently. He was feeling slightly unnerved by her quiet staring. "Are you feeling any better?" Arya chuckled to herself as he asked the question for the millionth time since she'd told him she was pregnant. She nodded once and offered him a weak smile.

"I'm beginning to think this queasy feeling may not fully disappear but I haven't been lunging for a bucket every five minutes today. I can handle a little bit of nausea." He opened his mouth to apologize for putting her in this situation but she shot him a look, silencing him. She was tired of him blaming himself for her feeling sick. They'd both known it would happen. They exchanged small talk for a few more minutes before Eragon noticed that Arya was having trouble keeping her eyes open. He smiled down at her.

"I'll let you sleep. Just let me know if you need anything." He told her as he stood up. She started to get up too but he laid a hand on her shoulder, instructing her to stay down. She smiled gratefully and sank into her pillow. Eragon paused at the door and looked back at her. She was curled up in her bed, her eyes closed and her hand resting protectively over her stomach. He quietly shut the door behind him and went to find Saphira.

LALALALA

a/n – okay, so I kinda rushed the last few pages so sorry if they're crap. Haha. I haven't had time to rewrite them considering I just wrote them five minutes ago! Haha. Well review please. :p

And my faithful reviewers (as well as my new ones)…I can't thank ya'll enough! Edoc'sil Wyrda (okay, I can not say thank you enough! Haha. I don't like not being able to reply to my reviews. Haha. But thank you thank you thank you!!), mystery writer5775, spazzysassyangel, xlilypadsx, Druska41, Alathema, Ryder Blade, Dirt Rider 712, Vaapad, Jasmine.Flowers, Hazelstar, ANGELOFTHEBLACKROSES, eamonster14, SnowChika, Chocoboknight155, Lord Cornelius Ravencroft, Kimi Teighe, monetfun, Melcangel, Kiwikiss, Tabitha of Moonaurora (THANK YOU for the names), Reidak, vendethiel (WOW!! Big compliment!! Thank you!! Haha), SilverAurora, BrokenFaerie16, dark-angle0104, Tejana

And then a thanks to everyone who has me on their favs/alert list. Lol. :D Copy/paste is my friend now. This is a LONG list and I keep having to add new people every chapter. Well I hope I got them all…it's hard sorting through two lists. Haha. 2sides2evrystory, ANGELOFTHEBLACKROSES, Alathema, Arozethi, Aryawen, Aya Hinata Kitsune, BookWyrmObsessee, Chocoboknight155, Desmonic, Dirt Rider 712, Dronzer, Eragon n Murtagh, Firelover123, Fricai Skulblaka, Glaedrz, GundamWingFanatic90, Gwendolin Sparrow, Harbinger of Light, Hazelstar, JakeJ, Jasmine.Flowers, Kimi Teighe, Kiwikiss, Laurelleaves, Lord Cornelius Ravencroft, Lord Nihilius, Melcangel, RathalosSlayer, Reidak, Ruffian194, Ryder Blade, Savage-Stiletto, Shur'tagal, SilverAurora, SnowChika, Sunrise Serenity, Tejana, aries9394, arygon199, audreypod94, bookworm331, dark-angle0104, debugger315, eamonster14, fAteD lOvE, giinypotter13, hurting-angel, jesslento, littleShiningStar, monetfun, phoenixblaze07, pixelchick, punzki, snowfairy11730, spazzysassyangel, star2421, sunqueen42, thorn18, xlilypadsx


	9. Chapter 9

There You'll Be

**There You'll Be**

**Chapter 9**

A/n – Okay…so how many times do I need to say sorry about missing last week's update? Haha. Something came up and decided to just move it to this week. Lol. And I apologize in advance. I'm just as bad as writing Angela as I am at writing Nasuada! Haha. And sorry…another short one. Also, will someone PLEASE point out if I'm forgetting anything so I can throw it in somewhere. Haha. I'd rather have someone point out something that I'm planning on mentioning later than have me completely forgetting it. Haha.

And darn it…someone please…smack me upside the head! Haha. All of a sudden I got an idea for another story in my head. Grrr…drives me insane. That's what I get for watching my newest obsession of a tv show while writing this. Some of these ideas rub off on that story and I can't get the damn thing outta my head. Drives me crazy. If all else fails and I can't get it outta my head, I'll just write up the summary and then start that story once I get further along in this one. Urgh…but please…someone knock those damn ideas outta my head so I can focus on this. Haha.

LALALA

Almost a week later, Arya was learning to hate her condition. In addition to the constant sickness, other equally annoying signs were beginning to make themselves known. Occasionally she'd feel her lower abdomen begin cramping up. Luckily that was only a mild discomfort and would usually disappear if she moved around. Then there was the increase in bust size and its accompanying tenderness. Her clothing hugged her thin frame a bit more than usual but, if anyone noticed, they didn't comment on it.

She sighed to herself as she observed her figure in the mirror. She turned sideways, standing on her tiptoes to get a better look, silently wishing that she had access to a full length mirror. She looked over her shoulder, checking that the door was locked, before stripping off her shirt and looking back into the mirror. Her stomach was still perfectly flat, her toned muscles hiding any evidence of her pregnancy. She frowned as her eyes scanned her body, finally coming to rest at her chest…the one visible sign of her pregnancy. She didn't understand why her body had to be making those changes so soon. She still had a good eleven months or so before the baby would be born. She shook her head, dismissing the grumpy thoughts that were running through her mind.

Glancing in the mirror one last time, she quickly slid back into her shirt and hurried out the door. It was getting dark and she hoped to avoid being noticed. She'd been fighting the constant waves of nausea for a week now but this morning had been the final straw. She never knew when another bout of sickness would come and this morning it had led to her almost vomiting on the leader of the Kull, Garzhvog. She'd barely managed to mumble something about needing air before she'd rushed outside and relieved her clenching stomach for what seemed the millionth time since this had begun. So, as everyone was slowly drifting back to their temporary homes, Arya found herself quietly sneaking through the dark tents. She finally came to a stop outside one of the brightly lit tents on the outside of the camp. She slowly pulled back the opening, peaking inside. Angela sat quietly in a corner, mixing something into a large bowl. Arya stepped inside and instantly gagged on the powerful smells coming from the various bowls around the room. She quickly grabbed the nearest bowl, not caring what was already inside it. When she straightened up, she cautiously set the bowl back down, looking over at Angela guiltily. Angela was standing beside her, a mixture of anger and confusion evident on her face. Angela quickly peaked into the bowl and then ushered Arya over to a chair, muttering something about that being her best batch. Arya sank into the chair and didn't wait for Angela to speak.

"I need your help." She said quickly. She glanced at the door as Angela observed her quietly and then lowered her voice. "I'm pregnant." Had it been any other situation, Arya would have found a great deal of amusement from Angela's shocked expression. The woman who claimed to already know everything had been stunned into silence. Before she had a chance to recover, Arya continued. "It was supposed to be kept a secret but I've been vomiting all week." Angela cut her off, nodding.

"You want to know if there's something to help the nausea." She finished in a distant voice. Arya nodded, confirming the statement. Angela looked at her for a moment longer and then shook her head and began rummaging through a case of vials. "I have something that should help." Arya smiled weakly.

"I appreciate it." She murmured. Angela looked back over at her.

"I almost feel sorry for your poor child. What parents the pair of you will make." She said, almost cackling with delight. Arya looked up at her cautiously. She hadn't mentioned who the father was. Angela met her gaze. "I do hope that young fool learns to keep his promises." She muttered, a hint of anger in her voice. Arya raised an eyebrow. Her eyes suddenly widened as she realized what Angela was talking about.

"Elva…" she whispered in horror. With everything that had been going on, Eragon must have forgotten Elva. Angela glanced at her, holding back a smile, and Arya stiffened. Though she was sure the strange woman would figure it out, she hadn't planned on confirming that Eragon had fathered the child. Angela didn't say anything for a moment and then resumed her search for the potion.

"You'll only need a drop. It won't last for more than a few hours and I don't recommend taking it more than once every twenty-four hours." Angela said gruffly. Arya nodded again.

"Okay." She could work with that. Angela pulled out a vial filled with bright pink liquid and Arya unconsciously grimaced at the thought of having to drink it. Angela cautiously handed it over. Arya looked down at the swirling pink potion, quietly turning the bottle over in her hands.

"I suggest you only use it if you can't control the nausea yourself…take it before you have to be out and about. It won't be good to become dependent on the potion." Arya nodded slowly, looking up and meeting Angela's eyes. It was strange seeing the woman so serious. Arya smiled again.

"Thank you." She paused briefly, "I'll talk to Eragon about Elva." Angela just nodded and escorted her back outside. Arya slipped the vial into a small pouch she had tied onto her belt. Arya quickly stepped out of the tent, glad to finally have some fresh air.

"I suppose he gets his happy ending after all." Angela quietly murmured. Arya stopped in her tracks and looked back at the woman.

"What?" she asked, confused. Angela's eyes widened slightly. She clearly hadn't thought Arya would hear her. "What did you say?" she repeated.

"Talk to Eragon." She said, grinning, as she walked back into her tent. Arya's feet remained planted outside Angela's tent for a few minutes as she wondered whether she even wanted to know what Angela was talking about before she quickly went in search of Eragon. She found him chatting aimlessly with Saphira and quickly grabbed his hand, dragging him to the privacy of her room. Eragon stared at her with wide eyes, obviously wondering why she'd suddenly drug him away. She shut the door behind them and turned to face him, smiling slightly when she saw how nervous he appeared. He hesitantly returned the smile, still feeling unsure. She sat down on her bed and, after a moment, Eragon sat beside her. She crossed one leg over the other and turned to face him.

"I want to know what Angela was talking about." Eragon's brow furrowed, wondering what exactly she wanted to know. "When I was leaving she said 'I suppose he gets his happy ending after all.' When I asked what she meant, she told me to talk to you." Eragon quickly lowered his eyes and Arya frowned.

"When I first met her…I guess it has something to do with the prophecy." He mumbled quietly. Arya's eyebrows shot up.

"Prophecy? That makes no sense. What she said has nothing to do with what Solembum told you."

"Not Solembum's…Angela's." he quietly muttered. Arya's eyes narrowed as she watched him.

"You never told me that one." She said, sounding a bit accusing. When he didn't answer right away, she began to get impatient. She quickly gestured for him to hurry up and talk. Eragon sighed and looked away.

"Do you want to hear all of it or just the part she was talking about it?" he asked. Arya hesitated for a moment and then smiled.

"All of it." She had to admit, she was interested in what the future apparently had in store for him. She may not exactly believe Angela and her prophecies but it could be interesting. Eragon nodded, pausing as he tried to remember what she had said.

"Um…there was something about an unusually long life. She said she wasn't sure if it meant I'd live forever or just for a long time. Then something about choices and the different paths my life could take and how only one would lead to happiness and peace. And then she predicted Brom's death…she didn't know it was him but she knew someone would die. Next she predicted that one day I'll leave Alagaesia forever." Arya looked at him, confused.

"Leave?" she asked. Where exactly was he supposed to go? Eragon just shrugged.

"I don't know. There was also something about a betrayal from someone in my family."

"Murtagh…" she whispered. Eragon nodded solemnly.

"I just…I wish we could have stopped him from being taken…if he'd never gone back, he never would have betrayed us all…" Arya gently rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Eragon, there's nothing we could have done. We had no way of knowing." She said softly. Eragon nodded slowly and Arya offered him a weak smile. "Anyways, about what Angela said…" she said, turning the conversation away from Murtagh and back to the subject at hand. Eragon hesitated, worried about her reaction to that part of the prophecy.

"She said there was an epic romance in my future." Arya raised her eyebrows, slightly amused. "One strong enough to outlast empires. She didn't know whether it would end happily though." He hesitated again and met her eyes briefly before looking back at the ground. "She described the woman as powerful, wise, beautiful and of noble birth." Arya quickly suppressed her surprise. Once her mask was back in place, she quietly met his eyes.

"You thought she meant me?" she questioned. Eragon flushed but nodded. Arya looked down, biting her lower lip slightly and appearing slightly hurt for some reason. Finally she looked back up. She held his gaze for a few moments and then smiled weakly. "I guess I can see why you thought that…you should have told me." Eragon forced her to keep holding his gaze.

"Would it have changed anything?" Arya stared at him for a moment and then lowered her eyes.

"Probably not." They sat in silence for a few minutes. Arya wasn't quite certain what to make of the new information. Her fists clenched slightly as she realized that he'd probably never stop pursuing her in some form or fashion, not if Angela's words kept egging him on. She suddenly felt Eragon's eyes on her and looked up.

"What made Angela say that? Why were you with her?" Eragon asked, quietly searching her with his eyes. She smiled and pulled the vial from her pouch. She handed it to him, letting him observe it for a moment. He looked back up, the curiosity in his eyes more evident than ever. After setting the glass bottle safely on the table, she turned back to him.

"I can't keep doing this." She explained. "I almost threw up on the Kull chieftain this morning. I talked to Angela and she said this should help settle my stomach." Eragon frowned, looking suspiciously at the glass vial.

"It's safe?" he asked gruffly. Arya nodded. Eragon's eyes softened. "Do you really feel that bad?" He asked, looking back at the bottle.

"Sometimes." She said quietly. "It comes and goes. Besides, Roran and Katrina are getting married in two days. I don't want to ruin their wedding by getting sick in the middle of it." Eragon smiled at her.

"You're going?" he asked, a little too eager.

"I might as well." She said, nodding. Eragon slowly turned red.

"Would you…want to come with me?" he asked, steadily turning a brighter red. Arya suppressed a laugh when even the tips of his ears turned red. She nodded slowly.

"I will." Eragon grinned wildly and then stood up, excusing himself. Arya grabbed his hand. "We aren't finished." Eragon looked at her, confused, but sat back down.

"What else did you wish to talk about?"

"Angela also mentioned something else…or should I say someone else?" Arya said, glaring at him. He was supposed to have tied up all his loose ends. She had better things to do than babysit him and make sure he got everything done. She watched him closely as realization crept over him. "So what are you planning on doing about it?" she asked, her frustration evident in her voice. Eragon didn't answer right away and she assumed he was asking Saphira for her advice. Finally he met her eyes.

"We're planning on leaving the day after the wedding, right?" Arya nodded, urging him on. "I think I know the right phrase to remove the curse. I'll fix this before we leave."

"Come and find me before you attempt to do so." she said quietly.

"I will" he said quickly. He paused and looked at her cautiously. Arya watched him curiously. "For Roran and Katrina's wedding, should-" Arya cut him off.

"I'll meet you there." She said abruptly. Eragon smiled at her and then cautiously stood up. Arya stood up and walked with him to the door. She silently watched him walk away. She waved briefly when he turned around and he grinned happily. She sighed as she shut the door, hoping she hadn't given him that much hope when she'd agreed to go with him to his cousin's wedding.

LALALA

Two days later, Arya slid into one of the few dresses she'd brought with her. She normally didn't bother with the elven-made clothing and she couldn't remember the last time the dress had seen the light of day. As she looked in the mirror, she pulled her customary headband off, opting to let her hair hang loose for once. Once she was satisfied with her appearance, she picked up the bottle of pink liquid, wondering whether she should take it now or just bring it with her. After a moment of debating, she slipped it into her belt and headed down to the celebration. She had skipped the actual ceremony and made some more last minute arrangements for her and Eragon's departure instead. She slipped into the courtyard and stood a few feet away from all the commotion, scanning the crowd for Eragon. She spotted him making his way towards her. He smiled brightly when he finally reached him.

"You came." He said.

"I said I would." She said, smiling. She let him lead her through the groups of people until they reached the radiant bride and groom. The younger woman was smiling brightly and, if possible, her smile grew as she saw them.

"Thank you for coming." Katrina said quickly, waving as another young woman ran up and pulled her away. Arya looked over at Eragon and smiled weakly. She didn't really feel like she fit in with his friends and family. Everyone was nice to her but she still felt awkward being there. For the next hour or so, she followed Eragon through the crowds and made small talk with some of his friends. After realizing how pathetic she must look, she excused herself and went to get a drink. She quietly sorted through the drinks, searching for anything nonalcoholic and finally settled on some strange, fruity punch. She stood off to the side, quietly sipping her glass. She watched Eragon from a distance as he laughed with a group of his friends and began to wonder whether she was doing the right thing by bringing him back to Ellesméra with her. It didn't feel right to be dragging him away from his friends and family, especially when she had nothing more to offer him. He said he wanted to come and raise the child with her but what would happen when he began wanting more than she could give him. He was only a boy. As he grew up, he'd be sure to want a family. He'd want a wife, possibly more children and that was something he wouldn't be able to find with her. As she watched him throw his head back, howling with laughter, she realized she couldn't do that to him.

She watched him for a few more solemn moments and then pulled her eyes away from him. Elain rapidly approached her, holding a squirming baby against her shoulder. She smiled weakly as she reached her and Arya took a moment to take in the woman's appearance. She looked worn out. Dark circles had formed under her eyes and her hair was pulled back carelessly. There was a wet stain on her shoulder from the tiny baby's drooling. Arianna lay with her head against her mother's shoulder, her mouth sucking gently on the fabric. Elain smiled at her guiltily.

"Would you mind watching her for a moment? I can't find anyone to watch her and I need to speak with Katrina. Arianna's making that a bit difficult." she said, smiling fondly at her daughter. Arya hesitated and then nodded.

"Of course." she said, taking the little girl from Elain. Arya settled her against her shoulder, mimicking Elain's previous position. Elain smiled at her appreciatively.

"Thank you so much. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Take your time." Arya told her. She watched Elain walk away and then headed over to a cluster of nearby chairs. She sat down and quietly began rocking the infant. Arianna yawned and wriggled slightly, causing Arya to hold her tighter. She felt like she might drop the delicate child. Arianna reached up, wrapping her hand in a strand of Arya's dark hair. She smiled and reached up to caress the baby's soft dark hair. The baby's hair was just long enough to curl slightly at the ends. She rubbed the child's back gently, soothing her into a peaceful sleep. As the baby napped quietly against her shoulder, she looked out over the crowds for Eragon. The light music that had been playing slowly grew louder as people migrated towards the makeshift dance floor. She spotted Eragon spinning around in some sort of strange dance with a young girl from Carvahall. The girl was laughing and she could see Eragon's wide smile from a distance. She felt her stomach clench as she watched him happily dancing with the young girl. She looked down at the sleeping baby on her shoulder. In a matter of months they'd have one of their own. She wondered if this was how it would be. Him running off and having fun while she sat on the sidelines and took care of their baby. She looked back down at Arianna, brushing off the thoughts. Her entire life had changed from the moment she'd agreed to be a mother. She'd known she'd be doing this mostly on her own. For the second time that day, she began to wonder whether she should even bring Eragon back with her. A few songs later, the music slowed down and Eragon made his way over to her. He collapsed into the chair beside her and watched her for a moment. He smiled brightly, his gaze alternating between the baby and her face. Arya smiled back shyly.

"Elain needed to talk to Katrina about something. Apparently Arianna was getting in her way." she explained. Arya paused and looked down at the sleeping infant. "Do you want to hold her?" When Eragon hesitated, Arya nudged him playfully. "Come on. It's good practice."

"Okay." he said cautiously. Arya gently shifted the baby, careful not to wake her, and handed her to Eragon. Arya laughed quietly at the nervous look on his face. He was holding the baby out away from his body, letting her rest on his knees. She moved slightly in her sleep and Eragon looked at Arya frantically. "Take her back. You're better at this." Arya lifted an eyebrow.

"You held her when she was born." she pointed out. Eragon looked back at the baby nervously.

"But that was different. She didn't move then." Arya watched him for a moment and then moved in front of him. He tried to hand Arianna back to her but Arya didn't accept the little bundle. She slowly adjusted his grip until the baby rested against his shoulder. One hand held the baby's body while the other rested behind her head. Arya let her hand linger on Eragon's for a moment longer before moving back to her seat.

"You're not going to drop her." she assured him. Eragon nodded, not taking his eyes off the baby. Arya watched him quietly for awhile, a hint of a smile on her lips. Her smile faded as the baby suddenly began squirming in his arms. She watched as Arianna's face scrunched up and she let out a small muffled whimper. Eragon's eyes shot up to meet hers, a panicked expression on his face. Arya reluctantly took the child back before she could begin crying. Arianna's whimpers grew louder and Arya stood up and began rocking her in hopes of calming her cries. In a matter of minutes, Arianna was screaming. People turned to look at them and Arya gave an apologetic smile. "I'm taking her back to your tent." she told Eragon as she began walking away. He quickly fell into step beside her, glancing at them out of the corner of his eye. He pulled back the tent's opening and let her step inside. Arya laid the baby on Eragon's cot and stepped back, unsure of what to do. She looked over at Eragon for help and he shrugged.

"Maybe she's dirty." he suggested. Arya glanced back at the squawling child. At the moment, there was nothing she wanted to do less than change a dirty diaper. Eragon smiled cheekily. "It's good practice." Arya shot him a dirty look and then looked back at the squirming baby.

"We don't have a clean diaper anyways." She glanced back at Arianna, who's cries were only getting louder, before turning to Eragon. "Go find Elain and bring her back here." He nodded and ran out of the tent. Arya picked Arianna back up and began walking back and forth beside the bed, letting her hips sway more than usual as she attempted to calm the baby. As the minutes passed, she quietly began singing an old elven lullaby. She didn't know where she'd heard the song but the words came to her easily, like an old, forgotten memory. Arianna's cries settled down quickly as she listened to Arya's enchanting voice. Arya kept singing as she waited, not wanting to disturb the finally quiet child. She glanced up and stopped abruptly, seeing Elain and Eragon standing just inside the tent. After a moment of silence, Elain stepped forward. Arya pried the child's hand out of her hair and, with a sigh of relief, handed her over. Arya glanced away as Elain quickly checked inside her diaper.

"Nothing. She's probably hungry." Elain announced with a smile. "Thank you for watching her." Elain walked out of the tent, leaving Arya and Eragon alone. For a moment, neither said a word. Outside, the faint sound of music could be heard drifting over the camp. Eragon cautiously reached his hand out towards her.

"Come dance with me?" Arya looked up at him curiously. "Dance with me." He repeated. She was about to reject his offer but, before she realized what she was doing, she took his hand. His smile grows as he pulls her back to the party. They walk to the edge of the dance floor and Eragon smiled at her. Arya lightly wrapped her arms around his neck and put a comfortable distance between their bodies. Eragon hesitantly put his hands on her waist and looked at her, making sure that was okay. She smiled and took a step, starting the dance. When Eragon didn't follow her, she looked down at his feet, still firmly planted to the ground. She looked up at him curiously and he smiled shyly. The faint smile that was playing on her lips grew quickly as she realized that he didn't know what to do. She quickly began again, whispering the steps as they went along. She laughed lightly as he stumbled through the steps, tripping them both. His feet repeatedly stepped on her own, causing him to blush and mumble yet another apology. Near the end of the first song, Eragon stumbled over yet another step. He fell forwards, crashing into Arya. For once, she didn't even try to catch herself. A clear peal of laughter escaped from her lips as they landed in a tangled heap. Eragon quickly scrambled up and reached out his hand. Arya quickly accepted it and jumped back up. To Eragon's shock, she quickly resumed their awkward dance.

"You look happy." He commented. Arya raised an eyebrow.

"Is there a reason I shouldn't be?" she asked. He shook his head.

"No. You just seem happier than usual." She smiled and stepped closer, resting her head against his shoulder as they swayed to the music.

"I am happy. With everything that's going on, I should feel miserable right now…but I've never felt happier." She smiled to herself and then quietly whispered, "I want so badly to tell the world that we're going to have a baby, though I know we can't." He can barely hear her and he wondered whether she ever wanted him to hear. He decided not to mention it and tightened his arms around her.

"I'm glad you're happy." He whispered in her ear. As the song ended, Arya stepped back and let her arms fall to her sides. Eragon followed her lead and released her. She looked up at the setting sun and quietly walked away. She stopped a few feet away and looked back at him. He took the hint and began following her. Arya continued walking, distantly aware of Eragon trailing a few feet behind her and Saphira soaring above her. She led them through a small wooded area and finally stopped once they were past it. She sat down and leaned against a tree, content to watch the sun setting in the distance. Eragon looked at her, smiling slightly, and sat beside her. She looked over at him.

"I've always loved watching the sun rise and set. Sunrises are my favorites. When I was little, my mother would wake me before dawn and we'd just sit outside and watch." She said quietly. She could feel Eragon's eyes on her for a few more moments before he turned to watch Saphira land beside them. She settled herself beside Eragon. A moment later, Arya felt the dragon's mind touch hers.

_Something is worrying you._ Saphira said calmly. Arya looked over and saw the sapphire dragon staring at her with a knowing eye. Arya looked back into the distance and sighed.

"_I'm not certain if I made the right decision."_ She admitted.

_About the child?_

"_Yes and no. I don't regret agreeing to this but I'm not sure if I made the right decision. I'm growing more excited and more afraid every day."_ Arya hesitated, _"I don't know if I'm doing the right thing by bringing Eragon back to Ellesméra."_

_What do you mean?_ Saphira asked, growling slightly. Arya glanced over at Eragon, who appeared pleasantly unaware of her conversation with Saphira. She supposed that Saphira had cut off their connection to speak with her.

"_I'm taking him away from his family and his friends. I have nothing to offer him other than my friendship and this child…and that doesn't seem like enough."_

_You don't want us to come? _Saphira asked warily.

"_No. I do want you to come but I feel greedy for wanting him with me. There are other people who need him more than me."_ Saphira hummed softly as she observed the two.

_Then let him make his own decision. He knows what he'll be giving up but he wants to be with you, even if you only want him as a friend._

"_One day it won't be enough." _Arya said sadly. _"One day he'll realize everything he's missing and he'll leave. He's only a boy. As he grows up, he's going to want more. He'll want a family, a wife, children. I can't give him that."_

_You already are giving him a family and a child._ Saphira pointed out. _This child ties you together. You've already become part of his family and he's become part of yours. _Arya remained quiet for a few moments, thinking it over.

"_I suppose you're right."_

_Of course I am. You just need to trust him. He wants to help, as do I. _

"_Thank you." _Arya said, smiling softly. As Saphira withdrew the contact, Arya returned her full attention to the sunset. After a moment, she looked over at Eragon. He was staring out at the colorful skyline, unaware of her cautious gaze. She supposed she would just have to trust him. As she turned back to the sunset, she unconsciously laid her hand over her stomach. Eragon's eyes flickered sideways and he smiled. She had been doing it all night. No one had noticed but the small gesture always made him grin, knowing that, under her palm, his child was growing inside her.

LALALA

Okay, thanks to...Vaapad, SnowChika, ANGELOFTHEBLACKROSES, Dirt Rider 712, phantom of deception, BrokenFaerie16, hurting-angel, elodia cullen, Chocoboknight155, aries9394, Tabitha of Monnaurora, xlilypadsx, Edoc'sil Wyrda, Savage-Stiletto, Hazelstar, EragonsGirlfriend, Ryder Blade, spazzysassyangel, eamonster14, GundamWingFanatic90, Jasmine.Flowers, fAteD lOvE, Euphora, Reidak, lulu, girlbrighteyes, ... (haha?), max, Arya 4 ever, Jessie, addicted2fanficition1796, darkangel0104, jackbyang, reader

And also a thanks to everyone who has me on their favs/alert lists. lol. I'm not gonna write this out anymore because it's getting too long. haha. But ya'll know who you are!!


	10. Author's Note: I'm sorry!

A/n – Okay, so I am sooo sorry to say I am putting this story on hold. It shouldn't be too long but I just wanted to let ya'll know so you don't think I'm abandoning this story. The next chapter will be up the minute it's finished. I am going to stop the whole updating on Friday's thing and I'll start updating whenever I finish the chapter, whether that be days apart or weeks. I am NOT giving up on this though.

I'm actually working on rewriting the outline of this story so that's taking up a lot of time. I'm staying up late every night trying to get that done but it's something I need to do. I write based off that outline and I've rearranged so much already that things are getting slightly confusing for me. I wrote it over several months actually and randomly threw stuff into it. So I'm reorganizing, rethinking certain things and when I want stuff to happen. :D Hopefully it won't take too terribly long but I'm gonna try to keep working on these next chapters as I edit the outline. But if anyone has any suggestions/ideas, now is the time to throw them out there. :D lol.

But I'm am sooo sorry. I really thought I'd have more time to write, seeing as it's summer, but things keep coming up. Hopefully the next chapter will be up before too long.

- Squealing Lit. Fan


	11. Author's Note Two: IMPORTANT!

Hey everyone

Hey everyone. Sorry to disappoint, but this is just a author's not. Also, sorry it's taken me so long to respond. Summer flew out from under me.

Anyways, I know your gonna hate me for this but, after much deliberation, I've decided to redo this story completely. I want to fix all the little issues about it (lack of Saphira, etc). And, since Brisingr is almost here, I've decided to just redo it. Some details will be changed but the plotline is basically the same. If Brisingr gives me a good ending, I may actually restart the story from after the 3rd book. If not, I'll just pick up from Eldest again but will probably throw in some ideas from Brisingr. Anyways, it might be a few weeks since I have to read Brisingr first (yay!!) and then reorganize this to make it flow better. lol. But I'm not giving up on this story…just fixing it. I will put the new version up as a different story (same name though) so look for it sometime in the not so distant future!

Seecha soon,

Squealing Lit. Fan


	12. Author's Note Three: Last AN!

A/n - Hey! Ya miss me? Lol. Anyways, I'm not sure who noticed but I'm posting updates about TYB on my profile. Sorry it's taken so long buuuuuuut guess what I'm doing today! I'm officially starting chapter 1!!! Haha. I'm sure that makes some of ya'll happy.

Anyways, the story HAS changed…a lot more than I was expecting. It picks up after Brisingr so there will be spoilers if you haven't read it. I hadn't planned on doing that originally but ideas kept popping into my head so I went with it. The general plot is the same but details are changing. Obviously it's still going to be a bit OOC but I'm trying to keep it as close as possible. I took a lot of comments ya'll had about version one and tried to apply them to V2.

Oh, one thing you will need to know. I'm changing one little part of Brisingr. I musta missed something but how did Nasuada find out who Arya's mother is? So I'm dropping that. Lol. It confused me. So remember, nobody will know that Arya is Islanzadi's daughter. Lol.

So look for the new story within the next month or two. lol. J/K. I'll try to get it up asap.

-SLF

P.S. - Tabitha of MoonAurora, where the heck is your "send message" button? I'm trying to respond but I can't find the darn button!


	13. The absolute last An Ever!

A/n - Guess what? TYB is back up! lol. So head over there and (gently) let me know what you think! Just please bear with me for a bit...it takes a bit longer to get jumpstarted.

-SLF


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